Two arrested in Sasaram scribe murder case

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Sasaram: Rohtas police arrested two persons on Tuesday from Amra Talab under Sasaram Town police station in connection with murder of a reporter of a Hindi daily ‘Dainik Bhashkar’ Dharmendra Singh on November 12 morning when he was taking tea at a tea- stall near his house at Amara Talab.

An FIR was lodged against seven persons including five named with Sasaram Town Police Station in this connection on the statement of Ravindra Singh, brother-in-law (sala) of the deceased, on November 12. Ajay Sharma of Sanjhauli, Anil Sharma of Tar Bangala, Dehri, Amod Kumar, Dalmianagar, Sujit Kumar of Suryapura, Aurangabad, and Pappu Singh of Dumaria are named accused in the case.

Rohtas SP Manavjit Singh Dhillon said that he got information that two persons Radhika Raman of Siyadih and  Manish Singh of Bhabhua, who lived at Sasaram and were wanted in Dharmendra Singh murder case, had come to Amra  Talab area where he was killed. He immediately sent a police team which arrested both of them. He said that both were interrogated and spilled beans on the murder of the reporter. He hoped that police would very hemsoon arrest the rest of the accused.

Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan visited the residence of the slain reporter on November 14 and consoled his family members. He demanded removal of the Rohtas SP and judicial inquiry into the matter.

Rinku Devi, wife of the deceased warned the Rohtas SP to mind his language otherwise she would knock the door of the court and also move the National Commision for Woman. She said her husband was darling of the officials of the district administration when he was alive but after his murder the SP tried to malign his image.

On Tuesday, at least two dozen reporters from Rohtas, Gaya, Aurangabad and Kaimur staged a day long dharana in front of the office of the Rohtas District Magistrate for immediate arrest of the culprits, Rs. 25 lakh compensation to the family members of the deceased, a government job to the next kin of the deceased assurance of security for the reporters and action against the idle police officials .

Three motorcycle borne armed miscreants shot at and injured Dharmedndra Singh, 36, son of Awadhesh Singh and Shanti Devi at Amra Talab on November 12 when he was taking tea near his house at a tea stall. He was admitted to  Sasaram Sadar Hospital but the doctors referred him to Varanasi in a precarious condition but he succumbed to his injuries en-route Varanasi.

Sources said that the conspiracy of murder of the reporter was hatched at Gaya jail. Pappu Singh, a historysheeter, languishing in Gaya jail, had allegedly hatched a plan to kill Dharmendra Singh and his shooter and brother-in-law (sala) Sujit Singh and two  others executed the plan. Pappu Singh was sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment in connection with kidnapping of a businessman of Aurangabad.