Author: Express News Service
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: December 13, 2003
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=37158
It took two months for Uttar Pradesh police
to register an FIR against Minister of State for Science and Technology Chowdhary
Bashir and his accomplices for the murder of a Harijan in October.
The victim, Kamal Singh's father, Babulal
Jatav, has charged the minister and his supporter of murdering his son during
the Agra riots in October. Singh's body was found in Gopalpura. Babulal filed
a case of murder and another under the Harijan Act for Bashir's alleged activities
during riots.
UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav had said that Bashir
would have to be removed if he did not show a sense of responsibility appropriate
to his status.
Family members said he had gone to work in
a shoe factory in riot-hit Dholikhar on October 13 where he was singled out
as a Jatav and beaten to death by Bashir and his accomplice, Saeedo.
Babulal alleged the police did not take cognizance
of the case despite his pleas due to Bashir's influence. Even the instructions
of the SC/ST Commission and National Women's Commission failed to get any
action initiated against Bashir.
SSP Agra Ashutosh Pandey explained the delay
as time take by the police to take cognizance of the murder after the forensic
laboratory confirmed that Singh died of internal injuries inflicted by assailants.
The SSP said the FIR (612/2003) against the minister and Saeedo was filed
immediately after. The probe has been handed over to DSP Maniram Yadav.
