Lynching incidents kill 9 in J'khand, Cong demands judicial inquiry

The JPCC president claimed that the incidents were “pre-planned and had taken place under the patronage of the government”.

Jamshedpur, May 30: The Congress on Tuesday demanded a judicial inquiry into the incidents of lynching that had claimed nine lives in Kolhan region of Jharkhand since May 10 last.

Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Sukhdeo Bhagat, MLA, also expressed dissatisfaction over the ongoing investigating by the state police. "The people of the state have lost faith in the government, which miserably failed to act despite a rumour of child lifting doing the rounds since May 10 last, that ultimately claimed nine lives in Kolhan region comprising East and West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharswan districts," Bhagat told a press conference.

Bhagat who on Monday met the family members of three persons who were lynched on suspicion of being child lifters at Nagadih in East Singhbhum district on May 18 last, demanded a judicial inquiry into the lynching incidents to 'expose the reason' that led to the killing of 'innocent persons'.

The JPCC president claimed that the incidents were "pre-planned and had taken place under the patronage of the government". "The Nagadih incident was a blot on the face of the society as it had taken place in the home town of the Chief Minister Raghubar Das and state minister Saryu Roy", Bhagat said while regretting that the chief minister did not have the time to visit the victims' families as yet.

Attributing administrative failure as the cause for the lynching incidents, Bhagat said Jharkhand Police Association has claimed that it had apprised the senior officials of the child lifting rumour but no action had been taken, till several lives were lost.

The Congress leader said a JPCC delegation would meet Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu in a couple of days and demand a judicial inquiry into the lynching incidents. The JPCC also criticised the Jharkhand government for celebrating the completion of three years of Narendra Modi-led NDA government when the state was rocked by the lynching incidents.

"The chief minister did not have the time to visit the families of victims as yet but his government was busy glorifying Naxals who were surrendering before the state authorities", he said. Bhagat accused the Union and state governments for disturbing the prevailing peace and tranquility by driving wedges within the society.

"More propaganda, less work is the achievement of the union government during its three-year in power", Bhagat said alleging that the government was indulging in hatred politics.

While two persons were lynched at Jadugora and Musaboni of East Singhbhum district on suspicion that they were child lifters on May 10 last, three persons were lynched on the same suspicion at Nagadih village in the same district on May 18 and four persons were lynched at Shobhapur village under Rajnagar police station in Seraikela-Kharswan district on May 18.

PTI