Congress to raise Jharkhand custodial deaths in assembly

The Congress party in Jharkhand said on Thursday that it will raise the issue of custodial deaths and police atrocities in the state in the upcoming monsoon session of the assembly.

Addressing a press conference here, Jharkhand Congress President Sukhdeo Bhagat said Chief Minister Raghubar Das was running "Ravan Raj" in the state and free hand has been given to the bureaucrats and police to commit atrocities on the common people, especially those belonging to the weaker sections of the society and the minorities.

"The Congress party will raise the worsening law and order situation, police atrocities, domicile issues and anti-tribal and anti-minorities policies in the state assembly," said Bhagat.

He also flayed the state government over the declining law and order and said that those who have to maintain law and order were committing crimes.

Bhagat pointed out that in state capital Ranchi, in the last one month 28 murders took place, while from January 1 to May 2016, 786 murders have taken place in the state along with 251 incidents of loot.

Referring to the alleged suicide of Topchanchi police station in-charge Umesh Kachap, he said Kachap did not commit suicide but was murdered.

"This was an example of how police officials from the weaker section are exploited by this government," Bhagat said. He pointed to the murder of a minor, Rupesh Swanshi, in police custody in Bundu, alleged suicide by a police constable posted at District Commissioner House in Hazaribagh, and interrogation of a minor child in Manika police station of Latehar as examples of police atrocities.

Bhagat said the state government had called the monsoon session of the assembly just to ensure that the first supplementary budget is passed. The government is not concerned about the developmental issues concerning the state, he added.

He said that the government was only interested that the funds be allocated so that the officials and the government "can loot".

The monsoon session of the assembly will begin from July 22.

--IANS

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