Munger police firing: PIL filed in Patna High Court

In a bid to bring fair trial and speedy justice to the victim of Munger police firing, a senior lawyer of Supreme Court has filed Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Patna high court seeking CBI inquiry in this case.

Alakh Alok Srivasatva, a senior lawyer of Supreme Court, told IANS: "Almost two months have passed but there is no headway in this case to bring justice to mother of Anurag Kumar (18) died in police firing during Ma Durga idol immersion at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Chowk in Munger district of Bihar on October 26 this year."

"Interestingly, Bihar police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Asangba Chuba AO, divisional commissioner of Magadh range, to investigate this case wherein its own police officers are facing the charges. We strongly believe that the Bihar government will not do a fair inquiry in this case. Hence, we have urged Patna High Court to direct Bihar government to recommend this case to CBI for fair and speedy time bound investigation under under its own monitoring," Srivasatva said.

"Munger police personnel fraudulently took signature of 55-year-old mother of deceased on plain paper and registered an FIR against unknown persons on October 31 under IPC sections of 302, 34 and 27 of Arms Act. As we learnt that not a single person has been arrested so far. This categorically depicts that the ongoing investigation being conducted by the respondent, Bihar government, is only a sham investigation and is unlikely to render justice to the petitioner. If the case would not get transferred to CBI, there is good chance of vital piece of evidences will be destroyed," he said

"As per eyewitness, the deceased was innocent and unarmed on October 26, 2020 when a policeman Sushil Kumar Singh and others fired several rounds of bullets on innocent devotees and one of the bullets hit the deceased, leaving him died on the spot. The alleged police personnel open fired at devotees without any provocation. Even, cops did not give warning to them," Srivastva said.

Srivasatva pointed out CISF internal report wherein it was mentioned that the Bihar police personnel open fired aiming at devotees of Ma Durga.

"Following the incident, Election Commission of India had transferred then Munger SP Lipi Singh and DM Rajesh Meena to some other place. Prima facie, it appeared that Singh was found guilty of excess use of police force on devotees," he said.