FIR filed against Hazaribagh DC over police firing

Acting on a Jharkhand High Court directive, an FIR has been registered against the Hazaribagh Deputy Commissioner and 23 others in connection with an incident of police firing in the district in 2016, police said on Friday.

The police fired on people of Chirudih village in Hazaribagh district during a protest against the NTPC plant, leading to the death of four youths. An FIR was lodged on Thursday in this regard.

The National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) had acquired 8,056 acres of land for one of its projects - the Pankri-Barwadih coal mining project in 2010. But work could not start as the villagers demanded higher compensation, employment and rehabilitation.

The villagers intensified the agitation after NTPC reportedly initiated the mining work.

Congress legislator Nirmala Devi, who was arrested then on charges of instigating the mob, had sought a FIR against the officials over the police firing. She moved the Jharkhand High Court.

Besides the Deputy Commissioner, FIR has been lodged against NTPC General Manager Gopal Krishna, Assistant Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Kumar, Inspector Akhilesh Kumar Singh and Sub-Inspector Shakeel Ahmed.

--IANS

ns/anp/mr