Forbesganj killings: One year of impunity

On the eve of first anniversary of the killings in a police firing in Forbesganj of Bihar last year, several students, human rights groups and people’s movements’ organization on Saturday staged a protest at Bihar Bhawan in Delhi. Shouting slogans against Nitish Kumar and his government, the protestors demanded justice for the victims of Forbesganj Police Firing, in which 5 people were killed and many injured on 3rdJune last year.

 

“One year has passed and the victims are still waiting for Justice. The Commission instituted to investigate the matter is yet to submit its report though it was supposed to submit it within 6 months time. No compensation has been granted, saying the matter is under investigation,” said Mahtab Alam a civil rights activist and one of the organizers of the protest while talking to media outside the Bihar Bhawan.  Speaking on the occasion, Advocate Tarique Anwar, who is assistant counsel in the PIL filled at Supreme Court of India said, “The Bihar government is not responding the Supreme Court notices properly and has term these killings as minor incident”.

 

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) Vice President, Abhishek Yadav said,“We are here to inform the government of Bihar that we have not forgotten the killings in Forbesganj and will continue our struggle until justice is insured”. He further said that the state of Bihar is ruled by Feudal and Communal powers at present times.

 

Extending solidarity to the victims of the firing, Madhuresh Kumar of National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM) said, “this pattern of denial of justice expose all the claims of good governance of Bihar government”. He expressed deep concern over the plight of Dalits and Minorities communities in Bihar.

 

Others who spoke on this occasion include, Aslam Khan of CPI ML-Liberation and Noted Human Rights Activist Himanshu Kumar. The Protest was jointly organized by APCR, ANHAD, AISA, JUCS, JNUSU, HRLN, CPI-ML, NAPM, SFR, NSI, NCHRO, and MRW. The protesters also submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Bihar through Resident Commissioner of Bihar Government in Delhi.

 

  

To,                                                                                                                                

 

The Governor of Bihar

Raj Bhawan, Patna, Bihar

 

Through Resident Commissioner of Bihar Government in Delhi 

 

Honorable Sir,

 

This refers to an incident of hideous brutality unleashed by the personnel of Bihar Police on poor villagers of Bhajanpur, Forbesganj block in Araria district. On 3rd June 2011, the villagers were protesting the blockade of a road that connects the village to the idgah, karbala and market by a private company, Auro Sundaram (owned by the son of the local BJP councilor, Ashok Agaarwal). They were fired upon by the police at the orders of SP, Garima Malik. It had been reported that in addition to the SDO, the local councilor was also present, and not only did he instigate the police, but had also personally fired upon them.

 

The protestors were chased into their homes and killed. Six people, including a woman and an infant had lost their lives. A gruesome video recording of the policemen jumping and trampling upon the faces and bodies of injured, half dead young men  exposed the depths to which the state machinery had fallen in the name of upholding ‘law and order’, and the reality of ‘good governance’.  

 

The case is completing one year on Sunday but the victims are still waiting for Justice. A Commission instituted to investigate the matter is yet to submit its report though it was asked to do so in 6 months time. No compensation has been granted so far, saying that the matter is under investigation. Moreover, the Bihar government is not responding to the Supreme Court properly. In short, nothing has been done so far.

 

We therefore request your kind intervention to ensure justice in the matter at the earliest.