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Dalit man who set himself on fire dies, two police officers removed
Tension prevailed in Bhulemau village after the news of his death came on Friday morning. His family members and relatives led by women put up a road blockade, demanding compensation of ₹one crore and FIR and arrest of circle officer and SHO Purwa Suresh Kumar Singh. Both the police officers were quickly shunted out.
Kanpur : The dalit man who set himself on fire outside the office of SP Unnao on Wednesday, levelling serious allegations on the circle officer, Purwa, died in the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) where he was undergoing treatment, police said.
Shri Chandra Paswan, 28, had suffered 80 % burn when on December 27 he set himself on fire accusing the circle officer of Purwa Deepak Singh of colluding with his neighbours to shield three of the six accused he named in his FIR on October 18.
Tension prevailed in Bhulemau village after the news of his death came on Friday morning. His family members and relatives led by women put up a road blockade, demanding compensation of ₹one crore and FIR and arrest of circle officer and SHO Purwa Suresh Kumar Singh.
Both the police officers were quickly shunted out. CO Deepak Singh has been attached with the SP office while Suresh Singh was posted in writ cell. The road blockade ended in the evening after officials assured to take the demands to the government.
The family members cremated the body outside the village. They demanded compensation, a house under PM housing scheme, job to next of kin and land lease.
Additional SP Akhilesh Singh said the situation was normal in the village and the two officers were shifted due to the ongoing inquiry.
Paswan who is survived by his wife and a son, had accused circle officer Purwa, Deepak Singh of allegedly being hand in gloves with the people against whom he (Paswan) lodged an FIR on October 18 .
According to Paswan’s dying declaration and complaints sent through Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS), the CO had allegedly taken ₹3 lakh to omit the names of three of the six accusd in the case.
It was also alleged that to build pressure on him and his family, Singh got a counter case registered against his uncle and others six days later on October 24.
The Paswan family was embroiled in a feud over two biswa land with neighbours Sabir and Mumtaz Ahmed. Both the families are fighting a legal case for many years over this piece of land.
On October 18, Paswan lodged a case under SC/ST against six people, including Sabir Ahmed, Mumtaz Ahmed, his wife and son Anis Ahmed. The complainant said the accused armed with axe and other sharp-edged weapons attacked his father Ram Chandra Paswan and others. His uncle Moolchandra was also injured in the attack.
As the case was lodged under SC/ST Act, CO Purwa Deepak Singh took over the investigation as required by rules.
Paswan in his complaint alleged that Singh was allegedly being bribed and removed the names of Mumtaz Ahmed, his son Anis and his wife from the FIR and chargesheeted only three people . A counter FIR was also lodged against his family a week later on the complaint of Sabir.
Paswan had told reporters on Wednesday that6 he became fed up with harassment and jugglery by the circle officer. He complained to all the officials but nothing was done, which forced him to take this drastic step.
