The political blame game over the murder of Rupesh Pandey, a 17-year old youth of Barhi in Hazaribagh refuses to die down as Opposition BJP is letting no opportunity to attack the Hemant Soren government on the issue terming his death as an example of failure of law and order machinery in state.
On Friday, state BJP chief Deepak Prakash was allegedly stopped by cops at Hazaribagh while he was on his way to meeting the family of the deceased.
The ruling dispensation led by JMM and its partner Congress however charged BJP of spreading animosity on the issue and politicizing a purely law and order matter.
While UP based BJP leader Kapil Mishra was planning to visit Rupesh Pandey's house, he was stopped and sent back to Ranchi airport by police on Wednesday,
Prakash who was heading towards Barhi through road from Ranchi to meet the family members of deceased to participate in the Barahvin (a ritual observed 12 days after the death) was stopped by Hazaribagh police in Charhi area around 15 km from the house of deceased.
While the police and administration claimed that Prakash was stopped due to prohibitory orders in Barhi under section 144 of IPC due to tense situation prevailing there, Prakash claimed that he was going to visit the house of the deceased with only three persons.
Prakash also alleged dichotomy and questioned that if he was stopped on grounds of prohibitory orders why state ministers along with several MLAs were allowed to visit at the house of deceased on February 14.
Manoj Ratan Chothe, Hazaribagh SP on the other hand told media on Friday that the police probe so far revealed that the murder of the youth didn’t take place due to communal hatred but due to personal enmity. He, however added that a probe is still going on and charged that an attempt is being made to vitiate the communal atmosphere and police are acting tough those involved in such acts.
“We have so far arrested 16 persons in connection with the incident and altogether seven FIRs have been lodged, four which are official FIRs while three others are FIR lodged by private parties” said Chothe and added police is also strictly monitoring the social media messages being sent or forwarded by people with the aim of spreading communal animosity," he said.
“We have so far initiated action against 27 persons for spreading hatred and sent notices to 100 other persons seeking reasons from them for sending or forwarding objectionable messages on social media in connection with the incident and will take action against them in absence of satisfactory reply by them,” said Chothe.
Notably, Rupesh, son of Barhi resident Sikandar Pandey was killed on February 6 after being attacked by some youth of the same village in connection with an old animosity.
