BHOPAL: Former minister Dr Vijayalaxmi Sadho on Saturday submitted Congress party’s probe report on the custody death of a tribal youth, allegedly after police excess, to PCC chief Kamal Nath.
After the death of the tribal youth, identified as Bisen, a resident of Khairkundi village in Khargone district – former chief minister Nath constituted a five-member panel to probe the incident. Sadho was made the head of the probe committee.
Speaking to the media at the PCC office, Sadho alleged, “Bisen was summoned by the Bishtan police station on August 31, for an investigation. The victim has no prior background of crime and no cases were registered against him. But when he reached the police station, the youth was beaten mercilessly.”
Congress demanded an impartial investigation into the case by CBI, a compensation package of Rs1 crore to the Bisen’s family, which includes his five children, wife and parents. Sadho said that policemen responsible for his death should be charged with murder. State Congress also announced that the party will pay a financial assistance of Rs5 lakh to deceased’s family.
The victim’s son Mithun told the Congress probe team that he took food for his father, who was locked in the police station, but cops would not let Bisen eat.
“The son told us that his father was starving for four days. In front of the son, the father was beaten with belts and pipes in four separate rooms of the police station. The village sarpanch told us that police atrocities resulted in Bisen’s death,” Sadho said.
Congress MLAs who were members of the probe committee, including Panchilal Medha and Ravi Joshi, said that the victim was beaten mercilessly.
“There is a series of incidents taking place across Madhya Pradesh targeting tribals and Dalits,” Sadho said. “Whether it is the Nemawar incident where five of a family were killed and buried in a 10-feet deep trench or the murder of a girl student in Balaghat district, atrocities against Dalits and tribals are occurring relentlessly across the state. What wrong did a tribal youth do when he went looking for his wife and child, that he was tied to a pick-up truck and dragged to death?” she asked.
Sadho further alleged, “The present BJP government has no connection with the common man. They are oblivious to the rising crimes against Scheduled Castes and tribals.”
