Rajastan town tense after Bajrang Dal leader's death

Rajastan town tense after Bajrang Dal leader's death
PRADEEP KAUSHAL

JAIPUR, SEPT 21: Jhalra Patan town in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district is tense following the death of a former Bajrang Dal district president at a Jaipur hospital on Tuesday night.

Durga Lal Kasara died of bullet injuries sustained in police firing. According to reports, shops and schools at Jhalawar and Jhalra Patan remained closed in protest against the firing and to demand action against police officials. The call for the bandh had been given by BJP and the Bajrang Dal.

Police opened fire when a fight among children during a game took a communal turn on September 15. Two men belonging to different communities were drawn into the tiff, leading to a fight. Soon, two groups of people drawn from the two communities gathered on the scene. As the two sides started throwing stones at each other, circle inspector Manvendra Singh opened fire, injuring Kasara.

According to official sources, Manvendra Singh has been transferred. Rajasthan BJP president Bhanwar Lal Sharma, vice-president Ghanshyam Tewari and treasurer Satya Narain Gupta told a media conference here today that it was the fourth incident in the state where ordinary people had suffered due to an administrative lapse.

They alleged that neither tear gas shells were fired, nor any warning was sounded before the police firing. Moreover, no magistrate was present on the scene to order the firing. They demanded that Manvendra Singh, who was responsible for the firing, be sacked and tried for murder. They alsodemanded action against two other police officials.