The issue of police misconduct involving Raj Kapoor Singh, the father of the martyred soldier Jaikishore Singh, in Vaishali reverberated in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. In protest over the matter, BJP MLAs walked out of the assembly during the session. On the other hand, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav tried to blame the martyr’s family.
The mistreatment of Raj Kapoor Singh in the Chakfateh village of the Jandaha police station area, Vaishali, triggered an uproar in the state assembly. Several BJP MLAs protested the arrest of the martyr’s father. When the BJP MLAs arrived at the Well, they raised slogans like “Shame on the Bihar government.” Tejashwi Yadav made an attempt to pin the incident on Raj Kapoor Singh.
Tejashwi Yadav claimed that the family members intended to erect the statue on the Dalit’s land. On the arrest of Raj Kapoor Singh, he said that the law is doing its work. On the other hand, the DGP of Bihar has handed the investigation into the police’s misbehaviour with the martyr’s father to the CID.
Tejaswhi Yadav blames the martyr’s father
Tejashwi Yadav claimed that although the martyr’s family wanted to erect a memorial, they were unwilling to give the property. Tejasw asserted that the family intended to build a statue on the nearby Dalit property. Tejashwi also questioned, “How is this even feasible?” In relation to Raj Kapoor Singh’s arrest, he claimed that the police are investigating it. Vijay Sinha, the leader of the opposition, expressed discontent over the imprisonment of the father of a martyred Jawan and accused the administration of demeaning soldiers and martyrs.
गलवान घाटी की घटना में शहीद सैनिक के पिता की गिरफ्तारी के क्रम में दुर्व्यहवार की ख़बरें कतिपय मीडिया चैनलों में प्रसारित/ प्रकाशित होने पर पुलिस महानिदेशक,बिहार के द्वारा इसे गंभीरता से लिया गया |(1/3)#BiharPolice @BiharHomeDept @IPRD_Bihar
— Bihar Police (@bihar_police) March 1, 2023
Rajwinder Singh Bhatti, the DGP of the Bihar Police, has tasked the CID team with conducting the investigation. According to an official statement released by police headquarters, the Criminal Investigation Department team will look into the entire episode. Rajwinder Singh Bhatti, the director general of police in Bihar, has stated that the police officer who was found guilty during the probe will face disciplinary action.
इस पुरे मामले में यदि कोई पुलिस पदाधिकारी अथवा कर्मी दोषी पाया जायेगा तो उसके विरूद्ध अनुशासनिक कार्रवाई सुनिश्चित की जाएगी। (3/3)
— Bihar Police (@bihar_police) March 1, 2023
Ashok Choudhary, a JDU leader and the Building Construction Minister in the Bihar government, has expressed regret for the treatment Raj Kapoor Singh received. However, he did not utter a single word against the police officials who misbehaved with the father of martyr Jai Kishor Singh.
जेडी ओके भवन निर्माण मंत्री अशोक चौधरी ने बलवान घाटी में शहीद के परिवारों के साथ हुए दुर्व्यवहार पर जताया खेद। मगर कार्यवाही के नाम पर फुल मौन?#jdu #Bihar @Jduonline @NavbharatTimes pic.twitter.com/DMRNAMtjOb
— NBT Bihar (@NBTBihar) March 1, 2023
The issue
In order to honour his son who sacrificed his life for the country during the 2020 Galwan Valley clash with the Chinese troops, Raj Kapoor Singh, a resident of Chakfateh village in the Jandaha police station area of Vaishali district, was having a memorial built. The property on which the memorial is being constructed is in question. The owner of a plot next to the plot where the memorial is being built has alleged that Raj Kapoor Singh has encroached govt land to build the memorial.
Harinath Ram, who owns the plot located next to the land on which the memorial was being built, has alleged that it is actually government land, and the memorial is being constructedon without the government’s permission. Harinath levelled the accusations when Raj Kapoor Singh built a wall around the memorial.
Additionally, Harinath Ram also filed a case against Raj Kapoor Singh under the SC/ST Act including illegal possession of the land. Following this, the station in-charge Vishwanath Ram arrived to arrest Raj Kapoor. He is accused of assaulting Raj Kapoor Singh and insulting him while dragging him to the jeep.
Several activists belonging to the Bajrang Dal and other organizations, as well as the victim’s family, arrived on the scene as soon as they learned about the incident and accused the station in charge of acting in Harinath Ram’s favor. They claim that because of their fraternity, the station in charge is acting in favor of Vishwanath Ram and Harinath Ram. There are reports that the police intervention has also been captured on video. The station in charge’s resignation is also being demanded.
