H'bagh firing: Arrest warrant issued against Barkagaon MLA

The Police have obtained a arrest warrant against the Barkagaon MLA Nirmala Devi, who is named as the principal accused in the Barkagaon police firing in Hazaribagh district earlier this month, which claimed four lives and left over a dozen injured.
Bhimsen Tuti, Superintendent of Police, Hazaribag, said the warrant was obtained from the court in connection with case no 228/16, which was filed in the Barkagaon police station by the district administration following the violence on October 1.
The incident occurred after Congress MLA from Barkagaon Nirmala Devi was taken to the police station, he said.
The SP said violence triggered when Nirmala Devi was forcibly freed by the crowd near Kolgarha village and the policemen were attacked by the mob.

In order to save their lives, the police had fired 68 rounds, he said.
The SP said other two cases were also filed by NTPC against the agitators, who were staging a protest and allegedly preventing a private construction company to take heavy machines to Chirudih for mining operation.

Tuti said they have no information about the whereabouts of the missing Barkagaon MLA, who has gone underground after the incident, but the police would launch a search operation to trace Nirmala Devi.
In reply to another question, the SP said the police have made all security arrangements for the proposed 'Sankalp Divas' to be observed at Barkagaon by all opposition parties on October 19.

The SP said the opposition party leaders would be allowed to hold rally, but would not be allowed to proceed beyond Darhikala towards mining site.