JHARKHAND

CISF Kills Two Flood Victims

CPI(M) Demands Immediate Arrest Of Guilty

THE CPI(M) Jharkhand state unit has strongly condemned the unprovoked and brutal attack by the CISF on peaceful demonstrators demanding flood relief. Two persons died on the spot in this bayonet attack by the security forces on October 11 near village Agloi under Barharwa block in Sahebganj  district of Jharkhand.

The CISF resorted to this brutal attack at the instance of the NTPC management. Many villagers who were affected by the unscientifically constructed MGR railway track for the NTPC came together and staged a dharna at the railway track. These villagers were demanding relief and implementation of the master plan by the NTPC for drainage of the flood water. The captive rail was constructed for carrying coal from Lalmatia in Godda district to NTPC plants at Farakka and Kahalgaon. But no provision for draining the flood water was made.

In this attack on the demonstrators, Pranav Kumar Saha (25) and Mahadev Ruth (54) were killed on the spot while two more persons, namely Abdul Salam (34) and Nizamudding (50), were admitted to Bardhaman Medical College hospital in a critical condition. Of the two, the condition of Abdul Salam has further deteriorated since then. Fourteen more injured flood victims were admitted to local hospitals and private clinics. The CISF jawans even attacked the villagers in the sorrounding villages. The attack was unprovoked and deliberate in violation of the laws of the land.

The state secretariat of the CPI(M) in a statement issued at Ranchi on October 13 has demanded  immediate arrest of the concerned officials of NTPC and CISF jawans for murdering two persons and injuring several others with an intention to kill them. It said that this savage attack has agitated the people in the entire area which may affect the production in the power plants due to suspension of transport of coal. “It is surprising that the CISF neither informed the civil/police administration of Sahebganj district about the incident, nor was any magistrate deputed on the spot”, noted the CPI(M).

The Party also sent a fax message the same day to the union power minister,  seeking his immediate intervention. The state secretariat of the CPI(M) has also demanded that the chief minister of Jharkhand take up this matter immediately with the central government and direct the police officials to arrest the culprits, file cases against the accused persons on charges of murder and attempt to murder as well as of violation of all legal provisions.

At the time of going to press, a team of CPI(M) MPs consisting of Mohd. Zahedi and Dr Ramachandra Dome left to Jharkhand to conduct an spot investigation. (INN)