Yogendra Tatwa murder case accused surrenders before court

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : Under mounting police pressure, Rameshwar Rai, one of the main accused in the murder Rajendra Tatwa, cousin brother of the slain newspaper hawker Yogendra Tatwa, surrendered before the Court of  Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Ara, on January 20, 2018,  and was forwarded to judicial custody. Police team was conducting raids to arrest the culprits, but Rameshwar Rai succeeded in surrendering before the court.

DIG, Shahabad range, Kumar Eklay said that the arson and agitation by the villagers after the murder of a newspaper hawker, Yogendra Tatwa, was managed and instigated by some liquor mafias. The matter came to light after a police team led by ASP Dayashankar Singh arrested three liquor mafias from village Sonbarsha under Karnamepur police outpost on January 19, 2018. The arrested liquor mafias were identified as Lala Yadav, Shekhar Mishra alias Tukur Mishra and Pachratan Yadav. Police also seized 337 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from their possession. They confessed their involvement in the arson and also revealed names of some of other miscreants.

Bhojpur SP Awakash Kumar said that police had launched campaign against the liquor mafias and they were annoyed with police as they had to suffer considerable loss. He said they were looking for a chance to settle score with the police and the murder of Yogendra Tatwa provided them with this opportunity. They instigated the people to resort to arson and stone pelting on police after the murder.

Yogendra Tatwa was shot dead at Khania Baba near Bus Stand at Karnamepur village under Karnamepur police outpost on January 17, 2018, the morning. Four persons: Brajesh Rai, Sona Rai, Ritesh Rai and Shiv Sagar Rai of village Ramdatahi under Karnamepur police outpost, were made named accused in the case on the statement of Meena Devi, wife of the deceased.

About four months ago, his cousin brother Rajendra Tatwa, was killed in the same manner for possession of 4 katthas of government land at the village and Yogendra Tatwa was witness in the case. Two accused of the case are absconding while three, who were arrested, are on bail. But, all the four named accused in the murder of Yogendra Tatwa are still absconding.

Police have not yet attached property of the two absconding accused in Rajendra Tatwa murder case despite order from the court on January 18, 2018. Meanwhile, police has lodged an FIR against 63 named and 500 unnamed anti- social elements in connection with arson, attack on police picket.