LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Dumka, March 2: The political representative of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and senior functionary of the JMM Pankaj Mishra has come forward to lambast the former CM Babulal Marandi for his remarks against the Sahebganj police in connection with the custodial death of a Dalit man, Debu Turi.
Marandi had called on the relatives of the deceased and another detainee of a theft case on Tuesday when they reiterated that he was taken into custody four days back since he died of police torture late evening on Thursday last.
Talking to the reporters Marandi termed Turi’s death to be the testimony to the barbaric face of the Sahebganj police.
“If the common people residing in the home turf of the none other than the chief minister Hemant Soren are compelled to undergo the barbaric treatment of police the situation in other parts of the state can well be gauged,” Marandi, who was also accompanied by the Rajmahal MLA Anant Ojha and Chandankiyari MLA Amar Kumar Bauri, said.
Marandi said that the move of the Sahebganj SP Anuranjan Kispotta to suspend two cops including the officer-in-charge of the Taljhari police station was simply an eyewash and demanded lodging an FIR against them under section 302 of the IPC for what he said murdering the Dalit man.
Notably, one Johan Hembrom of Harinkol village was also picked up by the police in connection with the same theft case of Rs 2.75 lakh from a bike Showroom.
“Debu was already in police custody and severely beaten up by the cops when I was brought to the police station after being picked up as another suspect of the same theft case,” Hembrom stated before the former Chief Minister who however was freed from Taljhari police station following Turi’s death.
Marandi also demanded immediate transfer of the Sahebganj SP Anuranjan Kispotta over the matter as custodial deaths were reported even earlier during his tenure.
Marandi’s remarks against the Sahebganj police, meanwhile, has prompted Pankaj Mishra who has on previous occasions caused disrepute to the Hemant Soren government in terms of the alleged role of patronising the illegal mining and transportation and other contraband practices taking place elsewhere in Santhal Pargana, to accuse the BJP of politicising the issue.
“Why did Babulal Marandi not turn up to the UP to give solace to the family members of the dreaded outlaw of UP Vikash Dubey who was encountered by police midway along with Ujjain – Kanpur road,” Mishra pointed out, adding that the opposition should wait for the judicial enquiry to complete before building any narrative.
