Tribal burnt to death over loan in MP; Congress slams govt

Bhopal/Guna, November 8

Two days after a 28-year-old   tribal man was allegedly burnt alive over a loan in Madhya Pradesh's Guna district, the opposition Congress on Sunday claimed the deceased was a "bonded labourer" who was killed for his failure to repay the debt of Rs 5,000.

Vijay Saharia, a resident of Uakawad Khurd village under Bamori police station limits in Guna, was doused with kerosene and set ablaze on Friday night over a loan, said Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar Singh.

"He died the next day at the district hospital and a villager identified as Radheshyam Lodha has been arrested for murder," the SP said.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called the incident as gruesome and painful and said he would visit the deceased's family.

He said a legal provision has been made in MP to free tribals from the clutches of money-lenders by waiving old debts.

Meanwhile, the Congress said crimes against Dalits and tribals were on the rise under the BJP government which came to power in March.

"The chief minister is terming it a normal fire death, but the truth is the deceased was a bonded labourer for three years with the accused over a Rs 5,000 loan. He was burnt to death for not repaying that money," Narendra Saluja, media coordinator of MP Congress president Kamal Nath, claimed on Sunday.

District Collector Kumar Purushottam said financial assistance of Rs 8.5 lakh will be given to the kin of the deceased and arrangement for his children's education will also be made. --- PTI