MP govt admits tribal killed during search for illicit liquor

Bhopal, Mar 21 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh government today admitted in the Assembly that a tribal youth was killed in police firing while a team comprising police and excise officials, aided by a liquor contractor's henchmen, was searching for illicit liquor at Seoni district's Javna village on March 2.

The government granted ex-gratia of Rs 10,000 and another Rs 1 lakh to the widow of Balam Singh and the regime would consider providing employment to a member of the family, Minister of State for Home Nagendra Singh said in reply to a call attention notice moved by Mr Harvansh Singh and Mr Sajjan Singh Verma (both Congress).

The Minister, however, denied that the contractor's musclemen unleashed atrocities on tribals and said that the police acted in self-defence after the team was pelted with stones. Three persons were arrested following a woman's complaint that people in civil dress, who were accompanying the team, assaulted villagers.

Mr H Singh alleged that the contractors hired musclemen from Jharkhand to ensure recovery of their investment and to prevent tribals from brewing liquor for their own consumption.

The Minister admitted that the Centre had issued guidelines to discontinue commercial vending of liquor in tribal areas and to wean away tribals from alcoholism.

UNI