Bihar SHO, lynched in Bengal, cremated with mother, daughter seeks CBI probe

His 70-year-old mother Urmila Devi couldn’t bear the loss and died on Sunday morning. Slain police officer’s 6-year-old son Ansh lit his father’s funeral pyre.

Last rites of the Bihar police officer, lynched on Saturday in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district, were conducted along with his mother, a heart patient, who died a day later after hearing the news of his son’s death, at their native place in Purnia on Sunday amid the presence of hundreds of relatives and villagers, who shouted slogans hailing them.

Slain police officer’s 6-year-old son Ansh lit his father’s funeral pyre, while his 15-year-old daughter Nancy stood beside her brother. (HT Photo)

“Our police killed my father,” said Nancy, the SHO’s 15-year old daughter, referring to the suspension of seven cops for allegedly abandoning Kumar in the middle of danger during the raid, which resulted in his lynching. Nancy also demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

“We want a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into this matter as they all (seven Bihar police personnel) including the circle inspector, Manish Kumar, left my father alone to die” Nancy said, adding that all the accused involved in the lynching should be given capital punishment.

50-year-old Ashwani Kumar, in-charge station house officer (SHO) of Kishanganj police station in Kishanganj district was brutally beaten and throttled to death by a mob at Pantapara village under Goalpokhar police station of North Dinajpur district in neighbouring West Bengal early on Saturday, said inspector general of police (IGP) Purnia range Suresh Choudhary. The SHO was leading a raid party to arrest the kingpin of a motorcycle lifting gang active in Bihar’s Seemanchal region, comprising four districts of Purnia, Katihar, Araria besides Kishanganj. The attack on the SHO was triggered by the kingpin of the gang, Firoz Alam, who incited around 500-strong mob. Kumar died on the spot.

“We have lost a brave and upright police officer,” said the IG.

His 70-year-old mother Urmila Devi couldn’t bear the loss and died on Sunday morning. Slain police officer’s 6-year-old son Ansh lit his father’s funeral pyre, while his 15-year-old daughter Nancy stood beside her brother. Praveen Kumar, younger brother of the slain SHO, lit the funeral pyre of Urmila Devi at Panchu Tola under Jankinagar police station, about 45 kms from Purnia district headquarters.

Kumar was survived by wife Minu Snehlata, 45, and three children including two daughters and a son. The family lived in a rented house at Hanuman Nagar, Kankarbagh, Patna.

Earlier, divisional commissioner of Purnia Rahul Ranjan Mahiwal read out the condolence message from the Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and assured the bereaved family of justice and all possible assistance from the state government. Mahiwal said Bihar director general of police (DGP) K S Singhal had spoken to his Bengal counterpart P Nirajnayan for stringent action. So far seven accused in the lynching case have been arrested by Bengal police.

IG Choudhary added that Bihar and Bengal police were carrying out joint operations to nab the accused. He added that all police personnel in the Purnia division will give a-day’s salary, collectively amounting to ₹50 lakh, to Kumar’s family. Officials at the state headquarters said his kith will get ex-gratia payment, services benefits and a government job (for one family member).