Hooda agrees to CBI probe in Gohana case

Chandigarh, Aug 31 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has accepted the demand for a CBI probe into the murder of dalit youth Rakesh alias Lara in Gohana, official sources said today.

Mr Hooda agreed to the demand for CBI inquiry when four prominent dalit leaders met him in Delhi yesterday, the sources said.

The dalit leaders who called on Mr Hooda were Mr Desh Raj Lohat, Mr Venod Kumar Prabhakar, Mr Ram Lal Gogi and Mr Ramu Ram Pal.

The Haryana government had yesterday asked Divisional Commissioner, Rohtak, to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances leading to Lara's murder and the subsequent law and order problem.

Divisional Commissioner, Rohtak, J P Kaushik had been asked to conduct the enquiry and submit the report within 15 days.

The inquiry would also look into the role of the police and the local administration in dealing with the situation.

The probe would also fix the responsibility, if any, on the part of any officer or official for any lapse whatsover in the entire episode, he said.

Lara, who was one of the main accused in the Baljit Siwach murder case but aquitted by a CBI court later, was shot dead by three unidentified assailants on Monday night in Gohana.

The murder led to violent protests by dalit protesters in Gohana and other parts of Haryana.

UNI