Darbhanga Bandh Against Land Mafia Terror Under Nitish Rule
Darbhanga was shut down in a complete Bandh on 16 February at the call of the CPIML in protest against the burning alive of 3 people of the same family by the land mafia. The main demand was to register a case under 302 against the Darbhanga SSP and Thana in-charge, compensation for each member of the victim family, speedy arrest of land mafia Shiv Kumar Jha. The Bandh also raised the demand of speedy arrest of the perpetrators in another incident of rape and murder of 2 girls in Purkhopatti. The Bandh received full support from all opposition parties.
The Darbhanga Income Tax Chowk was blocked for about 4 hours, where other parties and social activists also participated in the Bandh. NH 57 was also jammed for hours. The Bandh was complete in Laheriaserai Tower. The Hayaghat Bazaar road was blocked, as was the Darbhanga-Samastipur road in Taralahi, Bahadurpur.
Speaking on the occasion, CPIML leaders said that the main accused in the matter have not been arrested so far. Kapileshwar Singh is also roaming about freely. The Darbhanga SSP is implicated in the entire matter. Therefore CPIML demands that the Darbhanga SSP, City Thana in-charge, City Inspector and Kapileshwar Singh should be charged under Section 302.
The leaders further said that Shiv Kumar Jha enjoys the protection of powerful Ministers in BJP-JDU, which is why he has not been arrested so far. They demanded Rs 25 lakhs to be paid as compensation to each member of the victim family. They warned the Nitish government that if 'kurki-japti' (attachment and seizure) of Shiv Kumar Jha's house is not done by the government, the people themselves will do the 'kurki-japti' of the house.
The CPIML leaders also said that the criminals in the Purkhopatti rape and murder of 2 girls have also not been arrested so far. The Darbhanga SSP is implicated in this crime also. A high level enquiry must be conducted into this entire incident.
The CPIML will raise both these matters inside the Assembly.
Persistent Terror
The brutal attack in a land dispute by a land mafia gang on 9 February 2022 against the family of Rita Jha settled on the land for the past 40 years proves that the Nitish Kumar government is bent on pushing Bihar back into the pre-1990 phase. Right under the nose of the administration the land mafia burnt to death 8-months pregnant Pinky Jha and her brother Sanjay Jha. Both died on 15 February while under treatment at PMCH.
A CPIML team visited Darbhanga on 15 February and met the victim families. The team comprised Politburo member and Mithilanchal in-charge Dhirendra Jha, MLA Mahanand Sinhh, AIPWA State Secretary Shashi Yadav, CPIML District Secretary Baidyanath Yadav, Insaf Manch State Vice President Neyaz Ahmed, AISA State Joint Secretary Prince Raj, and CPIML senior leaders Bhushan Mandal and Ranjan Prasad.
The CPIML enquiry team said that this incident of burning people alive is a huge black spot on the Nitish government. The victim families told the team that this land dispute has been ongoing since 2017. The Rita Jha family has been living on the Darbhanga Maharaj land for the past 40 years. There is an agreement between the Darbhanga Maharaj family members and the victim family. But land mafia Shiv Kumar Jha got this land wrongfully registered in his name and a case is going on in the Patna High Court. Shiv Kumar Jha has been destroying this family since 2017. The administration is cognizant of the entire matter but instead of resolving it the District administration has only complicated it further.
The land mafia enjoys the protection of the SSP. The victim family told the enquiry team that when they went to the City Thana to report the 9 February incident, the Thana in-charge refused to accept their application. They then went to the Darbhanga SSP but he refused to meet them. The role of the Darbhanga District administration is extremely suspicious. Later a JCB was also brought from near the Thana and the house was broken and set afire. The criminals continued to bulldoze the house. The family members were doused with petrol and the dance of flaming death continued but the police and administration chose to sleep through it all.
After meeting the victim family CPIML Mithilanchal in-charge Dhirendra Jha said that Shiv Kumar Jha must be arrested within one week and the SSP and Thana in-charge must be made co-accused; otherwise an extensive movement will be organized. A Darbhanga Bandh has been called on 16 February which has received widespread support from the people. The government must guarantee the safety of the family and government jobs for the two surviving daughters.
CPIML MLA and AIKM leader Mahanand Singh said that the Chief Minister and DGP must take cognizance of the victims' statements and immediately dismiss the SSP and make him an accused in the case. If the government fails to guarantee the safety of the victim family and arrest and take action against Shiv Kumar Jha and all other guilty persons, this matter will be raised forcefully inside the Assembly.
In another incident, 2 girls from Purkhopatti in Bahadurpur Block who had gone to gather grass in a neighbouring village were raped, killed, and thrown into a ditch. The family members kept appealing for help but the police showed no inclination to act. This is clearly a criminal-mafia nexus. The government is peddling the argument that the girls drowned, but this is absolutely false. There should be a special enquiry into this incident and the criminals punished. CPIML is organizing a consistent movement in this matter and a mass meeting was held on 15 February.
