Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, March 1
Following a telephonic talk between the Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday morning, state government constituted a high-level inquiry to probe the alleged assault on Raj Kapoor Singh, father of martyr Jay Kishore Singh.
The Additional DG of police (weaker sections) would head the probe team. Jay Kishore Singh, the resident of Kajri Bujurg village, 6 kms from Jandaha police station in Vaishali district, had given the supreme sacrifice in the Galwan Valley clash with Chinese Army in June 2020.
Rajnath Singh telephoned the Chief Minister during the budget session of Bihar legislature and inquired about the incident. He expressed his displeasure over the reports of harassment to the father of the Galwan martyr who had constructed a memorial of his son. He is understood to have regretted the thrashing of the jawan’s father in the village.
The Chief Minister while intervening in a debate on the issue informed the House that the Defence Minister had telephoned. “I told him I came to know about the incident on Tuesday. I have ordered an inquiry,” Kumar said.
Kumar later asked the DGP, R S Bhatti to conduct an inquiry. DGP said Additional DG of police would probe the incident and if any police officer was found guilty, he or she would be punished. ADG is expected to visit the village soon. An additional SP reached the village on Wednesday.
Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav informed the Bihar assembly that Vaishali district police had claimed Raj Kapoor Singh was not thrashed, but arrested on charge of constructing the memorial on the land owned by a dalit.
He claimed as leader of opposition, he had visited the village in June 2020 when the body of the martyr had reached the village and had assured the villagers, RJD would construct a memorial of the martyr. His father had refused to give land for the memorial, Tejashwi claimed.
Leader of Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha raised the issue immediately after the House assembled and BJP members entered into the well of the House. Sinha alleged treatment given to the martyr’s father by police was disrespect to the entire armed forces and an insult to the Nation.
He demanded immediate action against the police officers who thrashed the jawan’s father and sent him to jail. Chairs and tables used by the assembly reporters were damaged by the opposition members. Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhury summoned marshals to restore order.
PWD Minister Ashok Kumar Chaudhury regretted the incident in Vaishali and said police should have shown sensitivity with the family of the martyr. Excessive use of force to arrest the jawan’s father on land grab charge could have been avoided.
Not satisfied with the government response, opposition members walked out of the House.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, meanwhile, demanded the arrest of the officer-in-charge of Jandaha for assaulting the father of the martyr.
