Judicial inquiry ordered into lathi-charge on Congress workers

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Wednesday ordered enquiry by a magistrate into a lathi-charge by police on Congress workers in Bilaspur city.

At least seven Congress workers were injured in a lathi-charge by police Tuesday following a protest by party workers outside Urban Administration Minister Amar Agrawal's house.

During the protest, Congress workers allegedly threw garbage inside the minister's house. Later, 52 Congress workers were arrested from the party's local office.

The Congress alleged that police used lathi-charge for no reason while arresting workers from the party office.

The party had organised the protest outside the minister's house over his alleged remark describing the Congress as "Kachra" (garbage).

Chief Minister Raman Singh, speaking to reporters in Korba district Wednesday, condemned the incident and announced probe by a magistrate.

"Neither the act of throwing garbage into the minister's house nor what happened at Congress Bhawan (lathi-charge) was appropriate," Singh said.

"Chhattisgarh is a peace-loving state where all political parties are equally respected. I condemn these incidents. A magisterial enquiry will be conducted," he said.

Bilaspur Collector P Dayanand said that Upper District Magistrate Bhagwan Singh Uike will conduct the inquiry and submit his report within three months.

The probe will deal with several points including whether the Congress had taken permission for its protest and what led to the incident, he said.

Superintendent of Police Arif H Sheikh said he will also conduct a departmental enquiry into the incident.

The opposition party, however, demanded probe by a sitting judge of the high court and immediate removal of Bilaspur Additional Superintendent of Police Neeraj Chandrakar.

"The enquiry ordered by Raman Singh is not acceptable to us. A time-bound probe by a sitting judge of the high court should be ordered," state Congress general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said.

Over 400 Congress workers staged a sit-in in front of Civil Lines police station in Bilaspur Wednesday. Party workers also burnt effigies representing the Raman Singh government at all district headquarters to protest its "oppressive" and "barbaric" act, Trivedi said.