india

Updated: Jun 25, 2019 07:14 IST

The Jharkhand government on Monday suspended two officers-in-charge (OCs) and initiated an inquiry against a third in connection with the death of a 24-year-old Muslim man on June 22 at Seraikela Sadar Hospital, four days after he was beaten up by villagers of Dhatkidih for alleged theft and forced to chant ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and ‘Jai Hanuman’ on June 18 night in an area under Seraikela police station in Seraikela-Kharsawan district.

The victim has been identified as Md Tabrez Alam.

Police have also arrested four more suspects, taking up the number of arrests in the case to five.

The OCs have been suspended for their failure to report the incident to higher officials in time and lodge FIR of lynching on the day of the incident itself, senior police officers said.

Police have now lodged a case of mob lynching and formed special investigation team (SIT) headed by inspector T N Singh to further probe the incident, which took place in Dhatkidih village.

Seraikela-Kharsawan deputy commissioner (DC) Chhabi Ranjan has also formed a team headed by Seraikela civil sub-divisional officer (SDO) for an overall inquiry into the entire incident.

“We have arrested four more accused and efforts are on to identify others involved. Kharsawan OC Chandra Mohaon Oraon and Sini OC Bipin Behari Singh have been suspended with immediate effect while I am personally investigating the alleged lapses and negligence on the part of Seraikela OC,” Kartik S, Seraikela-Kharsawan superintendent of police (SP), said.

According to the SP, Kamal Mahato, Premchand Mahali, Bheem Mandal and Sonmau Pradhan were arrested on Monday while main accused Pappu Mandal was arrested on Sunday itself. “We are still awaiting the

autopsy report, which can pinpoint the actual cause of death,” he said.

Police were, however, still not able to trace two of Tabrez’s associates, Numair Ali and Seikh Irfan, who could throw more light on the incident. In the viral video of the incident, Tabrez was heard pleading with the mob that he didn’t know anything and was asked by his two friends to wait there for them.

As per DC’s report to Jharkhand’s home secretary, the high level probe committee headed by the SDO Deepak Kumar and comprising sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Avinash Kumar and civil surgeon Dr AN Dey has been asked to submit their report into the entire incident from June 17 night to death of victim on June 22 within the next 48 hours.

“Tabrez, hailing from Kadamdiha village under Kharsawan PS, was caught by villagers of Dhatkidih around 2.30 am on June 18 when he was attempting burglary along with his two associates Numair Ali and Seikh Irfan (both from Kadamdiha). Both managed to escape but Tabrez was caught and beaten up,” the DC’s report to the state home secretary, a copy of which is with the HT, states.

The report further says the police got information of the incident at 5 am on June 18 and rescued Tabrez from angry villagers and got him treated. “Police also recovered the stolen motorcycle and other material from his house. Meanwhile, villagers of Dhatkidih lodged FIR against Tabrez and two others and Tabrez was sent to judicial custody,” the report reads.

“On June 22, Tabrez felt sick in jail and was shifted to Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead. His family lodged an FIR against Pappu Mandal and others for lynching and forcing him to chant Jai Sri Ram, on the basis of which Pappu Mandal was arrested,” the report says.

Meanwhile, a delegation of All India Majlis-e-Itthedaul Muslemin (AIMIM), led by its Kohan convener Aftab Ahmad Siddiqui, who recently shifted to AIMIM from BJP, met family members of Tabrez and talked to his wife and his uncle Md Alam. “We will send our report to AIMIM chief Asauddin Owaisi through Jharkhand AIMIM chief Hubban Malik for raising the barbaric murder of Tabrez in the Parliament,” said Siddiqui.