15 accused convicted, 23 acquitted in Senari massacre

Law Kumar Mishra

Patna: Additional district and sessions judge, Jehanabad, Ranjit Kumar Singh on Thursday convicted 15 people, all members  of the banned  Maoists Communist Centre (MCC) and acquitted 23 others in a massacre case of March 1999 at village Senari under Karpi police station, now in Arwal district, which was created following series of caste clashes. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on November 15, after Deepawali and Chhath vacations in courts.

On March 18, 1999, the MCC members numbering 500 had gheraoed the village and forced the male memebrs-all Upper castes Bhumihars, to assemble at the village temple-Thakurbari and brutally killed them by severing  their heads. According to prosecution, 34 people were killed in the massacre.

Chintamani Devi, whose son and husband were among those killed, had filed an FIR with Karpi police station alleging direct involvement of MCC memebrs led by Ramesh Yadav alias Pahalwan,Vyas Yadav, Naresh Yadav and 500 others. While 56 people were arrested and sent to jail, main accused Ramesh Yadav had escaped. He was arrested on January 31, 2010, at Chitkohra, Patna, 11 years after massacre. The chargesheet was filed against  74. During trial two of them died and five went missing. Two others escaped from police custody during their production before the court.

Senari massacre was one of the series of massacres and violent caste clashes in central Bihar districts during the regime of Lalu Prasad.