Dispute over memorial: Father of Bihar soldier who died in Galwan held

CCTV footage of the incident shows Singh being forcibly taken away by the cops to the Jandaha police station.

Now in judicial custody, Singh has been booked under Sections 188 (disobedience causing danger to human life), 323 (causing hurt voluntarily), 504 (causing public disturbance) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, besides provisions of the SC/ST Act.

“Is this way one respects the father of a soldier who gave his life fighting for the country?,” the late soldier’s brother, Nand Kishore Singh, told The Indian Express. He also questioned charges against his father under the SC/ST act.

The 10 feet x 10 feet memorial was partially built on February 24 last year when the late soldier’s bust was erected on a piece of government land in front of his home. The function was also attended by government officials. It was in December last year that Singh raised walls around the bust.

Police said they arrested Singh after his neighbour, Harinath Ram, who owns 25 kathas (0.78 acre) of land next to the memorial, filed an FIR on February 23 alleging the structure had been built “without any government permission”.

Ram has also accused Singh of violating an agreement before the memorial was built, under which Singh was to buy land for Ram elsewhere as replacement since the structure blocked the way to his property. Mahua Sub Divisional Police Officer Poonam Keshri said: “The memorial was constructed on government land without any order. It also blocked the common passage that also leads to the land plot of the aggrieved (Ram). Accused (Singh) also had option of constructing the memorial on his land”.

The soldier’s brother, Nand Kishore, however, denied allegations of violating any agreement.