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Introduction: Policemen raise slogans against government at officer’s cremation
Stray incidents of arson and stone pelting were reported from some parts of the city as it ushered in the new year amid an indefinite curfew. The curfew was clamped yesterday evening following the death of deputy superintendent of police U.C. Jha.
Jha was cremated at Sub-arnarekha ghat today with full state honours. Jharkhand Governor Prabhat Kumar, who was in Jamshedpur since December 29 rushed back to the capital today for Jha’s funeral.
Soon after reaching Ranchi, the Governor visited Jha’s official residence at HEC Colony where he laid a wreath on the official’s body and offered his condolences to the bereaved family. The official is survived by his widow and three minor daughters.
Uproarious scenes today marred the cremation as hundreds of policemen raised antigovernment slogans. Policemen, who launched a mutiny against the state government after Jha’s death last evening alleging apathy, criticised chief minister Babulal Marandi for failing to initiate steps to control the law and order situation and indirectly causing Jha’s death. The policemen were so hostile that senior administrative officials had to be escorted out of the cremation ground by RAF personnel. Jha had been admitted to a local nursing home on December 28 with a serious head injury after being attacked by a violent mob, which set up a road blockade to protest against the death of an eight-year-old girl run over by a police vehicle.
The attack on Jha triggered off the police firing killing three persons. A spate of attacks on policemen prompted the stair government to clamp an indefinite curfew in five police stations areas.
Though, a team of doctors had preformed an emergency operation on Jha on December 28, he succumbed to his injuries yesterday. A post mortem report today said his death was caused by bomb splinters, which had formed blood clots inside his brain.
Jha’s death sparked off a virtual revolt as irate policemen did not allow the hospital authority to conduct post mortem for more than four hours till their eight- point charter of demands were met.
The demands included immediate cash compensation of Rs. 25 lakh to the official’s family, a police job equivalent to the post of a deputy superintendent of police to Jha’s widow, an Ashok Chakra recommendation for Jha, free housing, free conveyance and free education for the official’s children.
However, the state government’s
stand was not clear continued till the early this morning after the Jharkhand
chief minister refused Rs 25 lakh cash compensation to the official’s family
as demanded by the police unions since an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh was Paid
to Lohardagga superintendent of police Ajay Kumar Singh, who was shot dead
by extremists.
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