Bhondsi violence: Villagers meet DC, seek release of juveniles
A state bus was torched and a school bus was pelted with stones by a mob on January 24
Around twenty villagers, including parents of the five juveniles lodged in the Faridabad observation home since January 25 in connection with the Bhondsi violence on January 24, met the Gurgaon deputy commissioner on Monday, seeking their release.
The Gurgaon police had apprehended eight juveniles on January 24 from Bhondsi village after a school bus was pelted with stones and a state bus was torched by a mob seeking a ban on the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Padmaavat.
The villagers handed over the memorandum to Vinay Pratap Singh, deputy commissioner to look into the matter and to ensure fair and speedy inquiry in the case.
Singh gave an assurance to villagers that he will raise the issue with Gurgaon’s commissioner of police and also write to the chief minister.
“I received a memorandum from the parents of the juveniles from Bhondsi. I heard their concerns and have forwarded the memorandum to the city police commissioner, as the matter in question is under investigation and sub-judice,” Singh said.
“We held a panchayat in the village on Sunday and decided to approach the deputy commissioner, as he is the head of the district and our last hope. If our demand is not met, we will sit on a hunger strike,” said Jai Prakash, a parent of one of the Bhondsi juveniles who was part of the delegation that called on the deputy commissioner on Monday.
The villagers alleged that they have met the Haryana chief minister, local MLA Tejpal Tanwar and the special investigation team(SIT) officials,but got no assurance on their demand.
“We have planned to hold a maha-panchayat on February 25 where villagers from 24 villages will come and pledge their support in the case. We will also hold discussions on our further course of action. The government is not taking the issue seriously and even 26 days since they were wrongly apprehended, our children are still behind bars,” Rajkumar, the parent of another juvenile, said.
Read I Bhondsi violence: Cops in the dock over arrest of adult
The family members of the apprehended juveniles said they have been running from pillar to post, seeking the release of the children, but to no avail.
The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), Gurgaon, last Friday, sought action against some officers of the Bhondsi police for arresting an ‘adult’ in connection with the vandalism and violence on January 24 and producing him before the board as a ‘minor’. The Gurgaon police have also sought the release of two juveniles, who they say, had no connection with the violence.
The social investigation report submitted by the legal-cum-probation officer, includes all the statements recorded by the family members and neighbours, claiming that the juveniles are innocent and were not involved in any kind of violent protest.
A show cause notice was served on Bhondsi SHO on February 9, asking him to explain the circumstances under which the 21-year-old B.Sc final year student was arrested in connection with the violence and produced as a 16-year-old and also the circumstances under which the other two juveniles were apprehended.