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Salooni murder: Situation tense in Chamba, BJP leaders defy prohibitory orders
Ex-CM Jai Ram, state BJP chief Bindal and supporters stopped at Chamera Dam barrier; call for a statewide protest on Saturday. A district official requesting anonymity said that the BJP activists were not allowed to go to Salooni in view of the prohibitory orders, but no coercive action was taken against the protesters to avoid confrontation. The situation in Chamba remained edgy but under control
The situation in Chamba remained edgy but under control as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers defied prohibitory orders and protested in Dalhousie on Friday after police stopped former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and Himachal Pradesh BJP president Rajeev Bindal from heading to Salooni amid communal tension following the brutal murder of a 21-year-old man.
Jai Ram Thakur and Bindal, accompanied by Churah MLA Hans Raj, Dalhousie legislator DS Thakur, former minister Rakesh Pathania and former MLAs Bikram Jaryal and Rajesh Thakur, were accompanied by nearly 500 supporters as they were going to Salooni to meet victim Manohar Lal’s family.
They were stopped at Chamera Dam barrier, the gateway to Salooni near Dalhousie town, as the district administration had imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Chamba after Thursday’s violence in which a mob set ablaze the house of the accused belonging to a minority community.
Manohar Lal had gone missing on June 6 and his chopped body parts were recovered three days later from a stream at Bhandal village in Salooni subdivision.
Initially, three members of the accused’s family were arrested, but when the incident assumed communal overtones, police detained 10 members, including four minors, and shifted them to an undisclosed location.
After being stopped, the BJP leaders sat on a dharna near Chamera Dam alleging that they only wanted to meet the victim’s family and had guaranteed the administration that there would be no breach of peace.
A district official requesting anonymity said that the BJP activists were not allowed to go to Salooni in view of the prohibitory orders, but no coercive action was taken against the protesters to avoid confrontation.
Later, the BJP leaders addressed the party workers at the Chamera dam, where Bindal called for a state-wide wide protest on Saturday against the incident.
“We stand firm with Manohar Lal’s (victim) family and won’t stop till justice is delivered. The government stopped us from meeting the aggrieved family and we will hold a protest at all district headquarters on Saturday,” another protester said, calling for a deeper probe.
Former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, while announcing ₹5 lakh monetary relief to the victim’s family on behalf of the BJP, reiterated his demand for a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the murder case citing suspicious activities prime accused.
Accusing the ruling party of sheltering anti-social elements, Thakur said that Himachal and peaceful is peaceful “but it doesn’t mean that we would sit silent if such a heinous crime takes place.”
“We haven’t said anything political in this matter. We are here for justice. To meet the victim’s family is our moral duty,” he said.
Thakur also flayed chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stating that being head of the state he should have gone to meet the victim’s family before the opposition leaders. “If he (CM) was concerned about the victim’s family, he should have come here earlier. You had means to reach here immediately but you didn’t come which means you don’t bother a bit. Two ministers were also in Chamba when the crime came to light, but they didn’t utter a word,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, the situation in Salooni remained under control with tight police patrolling. Deputy inspector general (north) Abhishek Dullar along with Nurpur SP Ashok Rattan and Chamba SP Abhishek Yadav is monitoring the situation. Five companies of police have been deployed in the area. However, a protest took place at district headquarters Chamba where people demanded strict punishment to the culprits.
On Thursday, provoked by local leaders, a crowd entered the Kihar police station premises, damaged government property and vehicles and later set the accused’s house on fire. Violence prompted the district administration to issue prohibitory orders. All schools in Salooni subdivision will be closed for a week.
Governor appeals for peace
In a statement issued here today, the governor said that such incidents in the peace-loving state of Himachal Pradesh were highly condemnable. He appealed to the people to maintain peace and avoid taking law and order into their hands.
Oppn trying to ‘politicise’ issue: Congress
In a statement issued here, Chauhan said that the police have already arrested the culprits and the truth will come out after a thorough investigation. He said the government and administration were doing their job to maintain law and order.
Chauhan said the former chief minister and BJP president wanted to meet the victim’s family, but it is not right to “play politics over the matter”. He said that crime came to light on June 9, but what was point in BJP leaders visiting the village after a week.
“This is nothing but an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Devender Bushahri also condemned the BJP.
“The BJP has no issue to raise, and they are trying to use the incident for political gains,” he alleged.
Cooperate in ongoing probe: Cabinet ministers to BJP
They said that the police department after lodging an FIR immediately arrested the culprits and were probing into the incident, but the opposition was “unnecessarily trying to hinder the investigation and also disobeying the law and order by gathering in numbers despite the imposition of Section 144 and trying to disturb harmony and peace”.
The police have immediately arrested those involved after retrieving the body of the deceased and the government will ensure that the culprits be punished as per the law. The chief minister had directed a thorough investigation without leaving any loopholes and delay. They said that on the direction of the chief minister, a police officer of the rank of the deputy inspector general of police (DIGP) has been asked to assess the situation and prevent any untoward incident.
The ministers said that it was the responsibility of the government to maintain law and order and the government was committed to provide justice to the family members of the deceased, but the opposition was trying to “hinder the ongoing investigations and giving political hue to the incident”.
They advised the BJP leaders to “refrain from such petty politics” and cooperate in the ongoing investigation and to support the state government’s efforts to normalise the situation.
Himachal is known for peace and fraternity and the people of all religions have stood by each other in good or bad situation, sharing cultural bonds since ages. The ministers advised the opposition to let such brotherhood prevail and “not try to reap political gains by provoking the people in the name of caste, colour and creed”. They also urged people to maintain peace and live up to the values of ‘Dev Bhoomi’.
