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Bhojpur fake encounter, 1996 : For victims’ families, justice wasn’t cheap

On November 8, 1996, her then 17-year-old brother Ashok had gone looking for work so he could earn extra money before he visited her at her in-laws’ residence.

Bhojpur fake encounter, 1996 Bhojpur fake encounter, fake encounter, policemen arrest, policemen guilty, indian express news, delhi, delhi news Family members of the victims. Source: Gajendra Yadav

In Ghaziabad’s Vijay Nagar, Babli (42) lives with her mother and three children. Nine years ago, her father died following a cardiac arrest. Now, Babli’s family sustains itself by selling milk and taking up odd chores.

On November 8, 1996, her then 17-year-old brother Ashok had gone looking for work so he could earn extra money before he visited her at her in-laws’ residence. “He used to work at a garment factory but he did not want to come empty-handed. He was the only breadwinner,” Babli said.

Read | Bhojpur fake encounter, 1996 : Two decades on, CBI court finds four policemen guilty

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That afternoon, Ashok and three others from Bhojpur village were gunned down by police officers in a fake encounter. The bodies of the four young men were not handed over to their families. “It was only when mediapersons showed us photos of the bodies and the clothes they were wearing that we recognised them,” said Omveer Singh, a relative of Ashok.

The 20-year fight saw families sell their land and mortgage homes. “My mother suffers from a heart ailment but she never missed a court hearing. We mortgaged our house to pay lawyers and visit Dehradun,” Babli said.

First uploaded on: 21-02-2017 at 02:41 IST
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