‘Where were the police?’: As 3 deaths shatter a Dalit family, BJP tries to control damage

For the family, though, it’s a case of too little, too late. They lost the first member of their family, an 18-year-old man, in August 2023. Police say he was allegedly killed by members of the local Thakur and Muslim communities over a 2019 case filed by his sister, alleging assault. The accused, police say, had been pressuring the family to withdraw the case. Police had arrested nine people in the case – Vikram Thakur, Vijay Thakur, Azad Thakur, Komal Thakur, Lalu Khan, Ismail Khan, Golu Soni, Napis Khan and Wahid Khan.

On May 25, the 18-year-old’s uncle, who was a witness to the murder, was stabbed to death when he stepped out to buy groceries. And, a day later, the 18-year-old’s sister and the complainant in the 2019 case died when she allegedly fell out of the ambulance carrying their uncle’s body.

The family has alleged that they were provided security following the 18-year-old’s death, but it was removed recently, which emboldened the accused. Outside the family home in Sagar district on Wednesday, two personal security officers from Khurai police station were stationed. One of them said, “It is impossible to protect a family for a lifetime.”

A family member responded, “My whole family was killed. The police were here for eight months, yet they could not secure the area. As soon as elections approached, our security was removed. Three CCTV cameras installed outside our house don’t work. Why?”

As the Congress cornered the BJP government over the law and order in the state and party leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to the family over the phone on Tuesday, the BJP moved to address the crisis. The CM took out time from the campaign trail and announced he would set up a police outpost in the village, as the local police station is around 15 kilometres away.

“The state government is with the family. Incidents are happening here again and again, so we will establish a police outpost and ensure police management…,” he said, asking the Congress “not to do politics”.

Said a senior police officer, “The police officers were removed as they had to be sent on election duty. The local force was understaffed. After the elections here came to an end, our officers were sent to other states where polls are still underway. We will ensure the family has round the clock security.”

The mother of the two dead siblings, and their two surviving brothers, now live in a two-room house on the outskirts of the village. They have dropped out of school and work as labourers earning Rs 200-300 per day.

The woman, aged 21, was the only person from the family who managed to get enrolled into a college in Sagar, where she stayed at a rented accommodation. “No one in our family has ever gone to college. My daughter was brave, intelligent and articulate. She got admission, did the documentation, found a place to stay, all on her own. She wanted to be a lawyer,” her mother said.

The woman’s younger brother, who has the word ‘maut’ (death) tattooed on his neck, said, “We feel suffocated under a constant threat to our lives.”

The elder brother added, “The Chief Minister spent a few minutes and then left. The local MLA Bhupendra Singh was silent. BJP leaders came to my home after the Congress leaders paid a visit and Rahul Gandhi spoke to us over the phone… Why were the policemen tasked with our protection removed from our home?”

Police have arrested five people in connection with the uncle’s murder – Ashiq Qureshi, Bablu Bena, Israil Bena, Faheem Khan and Tantu Qureshi.

Festering wounds

The fight between the families of the victim and the accused dates back to 2019. The first FIR was registered on January 23 that year under sections of the Arms Act against the woman’s elder brother. In the FIR, the main complainant (who is now an accused in the murder of the 18-year-old sibling) alleged the woman’s elder brother “was waving a sword, scaring the local people and spreading terror” near a bus stand. The brother, however, said, “I was falsely accused of uploading a video seen as insulting to the local Thakur community. Because of this, a fight happened and they filed a false case against me.”

The second FIR was registered on January 26, 2019 by the woman against four persons under sections 294 (obscene acts and songs), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC and sections of the SC/ST Atrocities Act. She alleged she was cornered by the accused when she was out one morning, and they abused and slapped her.

The third FIR was registered on August 25, 2023 against seven accused persons. This, too, was based on the woman’s complaint. She had told the police that the accused had barged into their home a day earlier, and asked where her 18-year-old brother was before going out to kill him.