Munger: As an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) died after being brutally assaulted by a group of villagers in Bihar’s Munger district, family members slammed Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar’s government and said “if you want to govern Bihar, do it right.”
Santosh Kumar, 43, was the eldest son of the late Dineshwar Singh.
The ASI leaves behind a wife, Anju Devi, and a young son, Kanhaiya Kumar, who is only six-years-old.
His family is struggling to cope with the sudden loss of a dedicated public servant, who had served in the police force for 15 years.
The shock is compounded by the tragic fact that his cousin, also a member of the armed forces, had lost his life during duty as well.
The gravity of this loss has reverberated not only within his family but also among his close-knit circle of friends.
A childhood friend of Santosh, Jiyut Singh, described him as a man of principles and kindness.
He recounted that Santosh had recently arrived in the village to attend the ‘tervi’ (13th-day) ceremony of his grandfather, Lal Saheb Singh, before tragedy struck.
Jiyut expressed his frustration with the Bihar government, particularly Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
“If you want to govern Bihar, do it right. Otherwise, step down. Every day, our soldiers and children are dying while you remain in power. What is happening to this state? What are you doing?” he asked.
Santosh’s family and friends are demanding accountability, not just for the crime, but for the safety and well-being of his loved ones.
They implore the administration to provide protection and ensure that justice is served swiftly. They are also advocating for financial compensation for the family, with calls for employment opportunities for Santosh’s son once he is of age.
Santosh’s uncle, Gupteshwar Singh, relayed the anguish of receiving the disturbing news in the middle of the night. Initially, they had been told that Santosh had been injured and required a blood transfusion. But soon after, the devastating news arrived that he had passed away.
“We had hoped for a different outcome,” Gupteshwar said.
“But now, we are left with nothing but questions.”
Meanwhile, the medical board that conducted Santosh Kumar’s post-mortem has revealed grim details.
Dr Raman Kumar, Deputy Superintendent at Dr Raman Hospital, stated that the cause of death appeared to be a head injury, likely sustained from a sharp weapon.
The severity of the wounds was evident from the visible damage to the brain and multiple injuries on his body. The medical team has suggested that the attack may have been brutal, with the possibility of a sharp-edged weapon being used.
On their part, the police are conducting a thorough investigation to identify all those involved in the crime and bring them to justice.
This incident echoes a similar tragedy in Araria district on Wednesday night. ASI Rajeev Ranjan died following a scuffle between police personnel and villagers in the Lakshmipur area under Phulkaha police station. The Araria incident occurred when a police team attempted to arrest an individual, leading to a violent confrontation with protesting villagers.
The back-to-back murders of policemen in Bihar have sparked an intense political war in Bihar ahead of the elections this year.
While the Opposition has claimed that ‘jungle raj’ prevails in Bihar, the ruling alliance has countered by saying that the crimes were being orchestrated to malign the government.
(IANS)
