Bihar custodial deaths: Kin of youths to approach rights panel, court

The families of two men, who were picked up in a case of robbery and murder and allegedly tortured to death in custody in Sitamarhi on March 7, have decided to approach the State Human Rights Commission and the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court once the postmortem report is out.

Police teams are still conducting raids to arrest the five suspended policemen of Dumra police station, who escaped from custody at Runisaidpur police station. The policemen are yet to be named in the FIR.

Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey said, “All five policemen could face dismissal if they do not surrender soon. A departmental proceeding has already been initiated. They will be duly named in the case in due course of investigation.”

Gufran Alam (30) and Taslim Ansari (32), residents of Ramdiha village under Chakiya police station of East Champaran, were picked up on March 6 from their homes.

Photos and a video clip of their bodies being washed before their burial showed marks of nails hammered into them. Their families have shared these with the police, an FIR has been registered for murder, and five policemen, including Dumra police SHO Chandra Bhushan Singh, have been suspended.

Gufran’s uncle Sanawar Ali said, “It is strange that Sitamarhi police have not been able to arrest five policemen, who are not yet named in the FIR for murder.”

Ali said they were waiting for the postmortem report which was also “being delayed”. “When the state DGP has clearly blamed the policemen and asked them to surrender, only the postmortem report findings are needed to support us legally,” said Ali, adding that former JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Rasool Baliyawi has promised them to move the state human rights panel.

Gufran’s father Munavvar Ali said since they were not satisfied with the probe, they would also approach either the Sitamarhi or Motihari Chief Judicial Magistrate Court to file a murder case against the five policemen.

Taslim’s father Molajim Ansari said, “Gufran’s family is coordinating with us to file a joint application before the state human rights panel.”