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14 held day after constable killed by mob in Bihar
The deceased constable was identified as Ram Jatan Rai, who was attached to the neighbouring Prushottampur police station
At least 14 people have been arrested in connection with the attack on the Balthar police station in Bihar’s West Champaran district that resulted in the death of a constable and injury to three others, police officers said on Sunday.
“So far, 14 people have been arrested in connection with Balthar incident as per the information available,” said Pranav Kumar Praveen, Champaran range DIG. “Search is on for other accused.”
The deceased constable was identified as Ram Jatan Rai, who was attached to the neighbouring Prushottampur police station. The injured police personnel, identified as Chandan Kumar, Pappu Kumar Sharma and Rajendra Prasad Singh, were recuperating at government medical college and hospital (GMCH).
“While two of them have suffered superficial injuries, one (Pappu Kumar Sharma) is admitted with gunshot injuries. They are out of danger,” said Pramod Tiwari, superintendent of GMCH.
On Saturday, hundreds of villagers attacked the Balthar police station in West Champaran along Indo-Nepal border after news of death of a man allegedly in police custody started making rounds. The deceased villager was identified as Aniruddh Kumar alias Amrit Yadav, who was part of a DJ team and a resident of Aryanagar under the Balthar police station.
No first hand information (FIR) has been lodged yet. “The FIR is being prepared and we expect to register it soon,” the DIG said.
“A furious mob attacked the police station in which one policeman died, while three others were injured. The trouble makers also set on fire six vehicles, which included three police vehicles, a fire brigade’s van and two private vehicles,” said Kundan Kumar, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Narkatiaganj.
Meanwhile, the brother of the deceased villager, Kanhaiya Yadav accused police personnel of beating his brother to death. “After he died, the policemen fled the police station, setting the vehicles on fire themselves,” Yadav told reporters at Balthar.
Superintendent of police (SP), Bettiah, Upendra Nath Verma, however, said the Aniruddh Kumar had come to the police station following the seizure of his DJ and that his death was due to “bee sting”.
“He was not as such under our custody or kept in police lockup,” Verma said. “He was attacked by a swarm of bees when he was drinking water, using a hand-pump on the premises of police station. He was taken to a hospital, but died. Bees also emerged from his ear cavity.”
Birendra Gupta, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) legislator from Sikta on Sunday demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter. “Death caused by bee sting does not hold water at all. The government must set up a high-level inquiry to unearth the truth,” said Gupta.
