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Journalism of Courage
An 82-year-old farmer in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district died on Sunday, three days after he sustained burn injuries in a mysterious fire. The incident took place when officials from the Revenue Department arrived to evict his family from their hut built on cooperative society land.
Mathura District Magistrate (DM), Chandra Prakash Singh, said two officials have been suspended, and an enquiry committee has been set up to probe the matter.
Mathura Police has also registered an FIR after the family filed a complaint against revenue officials and neighbours. The family accused their neighbours of allegedly setting the farmer on fire to stop the drive.
“We have received the complaint and have begun our probe. We are exploring the incident from all angles,” said Circle Officer, Sadar, Sandip Kumar Singh.
According to police, the incident took place on Thursday afternoon in Khushipura village, which falls under the Jait police station’s jurisdiction.
“Officials from the Revenue Department had reached the village to carry out an eviction drive,” said Singh.
He said the farmer, Satyabhan, and his family had been living in a hut built on Khandsari Cooperative Society land for the last 35 years after they shifted from Meerut.
A team — Naib Tehsildar Anmol Garg, Kanungo Rajendra, and Lekhpal Kapil — reached the village with a police team to vacate the land.
“When the eviction began, Satyabhan’s family members and several others started protesting. Soon, Satyabhan caught fire inside his hut and came running outside. In an attempt to save him, his daughter-in-law also sustained burn injuries,” said the DM.
Singh told The Indian Express that Satyabhan was referred to SN Medical College in Agra, where he succumbed to injuries. His daughter-in-law, Lalitesh, who tried to save him, is receiving treatment at the district hospital.
Following the incident, the DM suspended Kanungo and Lekhpal and ordered the Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) to probe the matter.
When contacted, the DM said he had yet to receive the report. “An inquiry is ongoing and we are looking into it,” he said.
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