Mob sets afire Barhara PS in Bhojpur, fired at CO’s car to protest death of mason

Kumar Rajiv Rajiv

Ara : Angry over death of a mason Chhena Tatwa in police custody on March 4, 2017, hundreds of villagers staged gherao of Barhara police station in Bhojpur district on March 5 with the body of deceased and set ablaze police station and some police jeeps besides pelting cops with stones. The mob also seized almost all the documents.

Police first resorted to lathicharge in which over four dozen persons were injured and then fired in the air to disperse an unruly mob. The mob also fire on police and on the vehicle of the Barahara Circle Officer (CO) Sumit Kumar Singh though he escaped unhurt. The agitating people also vandalised Barahara Block Office. Senior officials of Bhojpur district including SP Kshatranil Singh, ASP (operations) Md Sajid, DSP (HQs) J P Karn, SDPO Sanajay Kumar soon reached the spot but  could not pacify the mob. Finally, Bhojpur DM Birendra Prasad Yadav reached there pacified the mob. Later, police brought the body to Ara Sadar Hospital. Police also took around 12 persons including women into custody.

Police had arrested Chhena Tatwa in a drunken state on March 4 after his daughter, Nitu Tatawa complained that her father used filthy language and tried to outrage her modesty and took him to Barahara police station but the arrested person died in police custody.Police said that Chhena Tatawa alias Ramjas Tatawa, 38, son of Paras Tatawa jumped off the running vehicle and died but his daughter Nita Tatawa and wife Shobhanti Devi alleged that police assaulted and killed him and after he died threw his body down from the roof of the police station.

SHO, Barhaara police station, Sudesh Kumar refuted charges of family members of the deceased saying that he would resign from his post if it is proved Chhena Tatwa died due to police beating. But, Barahara MLA Saroj Yadav, who led the mob, charged police with beating Chhena who succumbed to his injuries.He said that Chhena had three sons: Ranjan Tatwa, Rajesh Tatwa and Sagar Tatwa and two daughters: Nitu Tatwa and Kanchan Tatwa. He said police did not allow the family members to meet Chhena Tatwa at police station. The MLA said that he would raise the matter in Bihar Legislative Assembly.

SDPO Sanjay Kumar said that Chhena Tatwa tried to escape from the running police vehicle by jumping down from  it and received head injuries. Police admitted him to Primary Health Centre where the doctors referred him to Ara Sadar Hospital but he succumbed to his injuries on way to Ara. He said that Nitu Tatwa, daughter of the deceased, had complained to police in writing that her father always used filthy language and forced  her to marry with him when in drunken state and police had arrested him on her complaint.

Bhojpur SP Kshatranil Singh said that an ASI Arvind Kumar and a Chowkidar had been suspended and added that an inquiry had been ordered into the incident.