This story is from July 13, 2019

Nalanda, SHO held for JD(U) leader’s death in custody

Two cops, including a station house officer (SHO) and a village ‘chowkidar’, were arrested in Nalanda district on Friday in the custodial death case of a JD(U) Mahadalit leader Ganesh Ravidas.
Nalanda, SHO held for JD(U) leader’s death in custody
Representative image
BIHARSHARIF/PATNA: Two cops, including a station house officer (SHO) and a village ‘chowkidar’, were arrested in Nalanda district on Friday in the custodial death case of a JD(U) Mahadalit leader Ganesh Ravidas.
The 50-year-old block president of JDU’s SC/ST cell was found hanging in the toilet of the of Nagarnausa police station around midnight on Thursday.
He was picked up for interrogation from his village Saidpura, following his nephew’s alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl from the same village.
The police claimed that Ravidas committed suicide in the toilet with a ‘gamchha’ (towel) he was carrying. However, his eldest son Baliram categorically denied the police version on his father’s alleged suicide and filed an FIR alleging custody death due to physical torture, which led to the arrest of the trio. “The police detained him despite the fact that he was not named in the FIR,” Bthe deceased’s son told the media in Biharsharif on Friday.
IG (Patna zone) Sunil Kumar, who visited Nalanda to take stock of the situation on Friday, said three people—Kamlesh Kumar, the Nagarnausa SHO, assistant sub-inspector of police Balindra Rai and a chaukidar Sanjay Paswan—were arrested after the family members accused them of police excesses.
The IG said the two police officers were already under suspension and were subsequently taken into custody. They have been booked under Section 302 (murder) of IPC, he said, adding that a detailed investigation had been ordered. DIG (central range) Rajesh Kumar will monitor the probe.
Police said Ganesh had requested ASI Balindra Rai to allow him to go to the toilet around midnight. When he did not come out even after around 30 minutes had passed, they suspected something amiss. Police sources claimed that he had hanged himself from the window with a ‘gumchha’ (towel) he was carrying with him.

The SHO informed Nalanda SP Nilesh Kumar about the alleged suicide by Ravidas after which the SP along with other senior officials reached Nagarnausa police station to take stock of the situation.
As the news of his death spread, a number of villagers reached Biharsharif, the district town where the body was taken, and staged a protest demanding arrest of the cops. Another group of protestors blocked the Biharsharif-Patna main road.
The situation at Nagarnausa bazar remained tense on Friday with protestors forcing shops and other business establishments to down shutters against the death of the leader, which they described as a ‘murder’ and not suicide as claimed by the police.
The angry residents of Saidpura, the native village of the deceased JD (U) leader, and adjoining villages went on a rampage at Nagarnausa bazar. They pelted stones when the police tried to bring the situation under control. At least four cops sustained injuries. The police had to resort to baton charge to disperse the protestors in which over a dozen protesters suffered injuries.
Sources said senior police officials swung into action after CM Nitish Kumar expressed his displeasure over the functioning of the police in Nalanda district, where his (CM’s) ancestral house is located.
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