Madhya Pradesh Congress Demands Murder FIR in Tribal’s Custodial Death

A day after a 35-year-old Bhil accused of theft and loot allegedly died in custody at the Bistan Police Station, around 20 km from Khargone district, in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress demanded protection for the family and a murder FIR against the four cops suspended after the incident.

A delegation led by former Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president and UPA Union minister of state for heavy industries leader Arun Yadav met with the director general of police in Bhopal and demanded an FIR against the four suspended policemen who allegedly tortured Bisan to death.

“The cases of atrocities against tribals across the state are increasing. Taking a cue from the recent incidents in Nimawar, Neemuch, Dewas, Rewa, Morena, Balaghat and Khargone, where tribals were assaulted and killed, I urged the DGP to provide protection to the family of Bisan, who died due to police torture, and conduct a fair probe,” Yadav said.

Yadav also demanded a fair probe into the recent alleged cases of atrocities against tribals and strict action to prevent such incidents.

The matter came to light after Bisan’s fellow villagers attacked the Bistan Police Station and hurled stones, injuring three policemen. on Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred around 9 am when more than 100 men from Khair Kundi village surrounded the police station and began pelting it with stones. The mob also damaged police vehicles and overturned a police jeep. The police had to resort to teargas and firing in the air to disperse the crowd.

According to Khargone superintendent of police Shailendra Singh Chouhan, Bisan was arrested along with 11 others in a case of dacoity at nearby Jhagdi Ghat on August 24. “A cell phone snatched from a biker was traced and found in the possession of a villager identified as Cheema, who identified the others, including Bisan,” Singh said.

While eight of the accused were sent to judicial custody, the remaining four, including Bisan, were taken in police custody on September 4 for five days. Bisan fell ill in the wee hours of Tuesday and was declared brought dead to the hospital.

Bisan’s kin and fellow villagers alleged that the cops had demanded cash and gold to release him. When he failed to pay the bribe, they tortured him to death, alleged Bisan’s 60-year-old Habbu.

The photos of the post-mortem, doing rounds on social media, show major injuries on Bisan’s hips and thighs. However, the police, who denied involvement in his death, suspended four cops after the photos came to light.

On Tuesday, a team of Congressmen, including Kasrawad MLA Sachin Yadav, met with the collector and demanded action against the four policemen.