Embers of alleged police atrocities refuse to die down

PRAYAGRAJ, February 8 (HS): Embers of alleged police atrocities on boatmen in Prayagraj refuses to die down. Both Samajwadi Party and Congress leaders have thrown their weight behind the community and given sway to political mudslinging. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said that by breaking the boats of the Nishad community, the BJP has hit them on their stomach and the government should offer an apology and compensate for their loss. Opposition leaders are trying to corner the government after boats belonging to Nishad community were allegedly damaged by the police and administration in the district during an anti-mining drive.

In a quick damage control exercise, MP from Allahabad, Dr. Rita Bahuguna Joshi rushed to Allahabad from Delhi on Sunday evening. On reaching here, she deliberated with representatives of Nishad community at her residence and spoke to Deputy Chief Minister, Keshav Prasad Maurya over phone. Later, she shot off a letter to CM Yogi Adityanath and Deputy CM, Keshav Prasad Maurya and demanded adequate compensation for the loss of livelihood suffered by boatmen community with immediate effect. She also demanded allocation of mining lease and permit to boatmen community for a period of five years and quashing of FIR’s registered against them after the incident. She also demanded action against guilty policemen.

Piyush Ranjan Nishad, a local BJP leader alleged police brutality and said police personnel damaged 18 boats owned by the community. “Since the lockdown to combat the novel coronavirus began, the Nishad community, traditionally associated with fishing and other work centred on rivers, has been struggling to earn a living,” he added.

However, Additional SP Saurabh Dixit, trans-Yamuna area denied that any boat was damaged in police action. He said there were around 150 boats loaded with sand and they probably collided with each other when left abandoned during police action. Officials during candid discussion with HS revealed that the area saw sand mining for a long time but the same was prohibited in 2019. On Saturday, around 250 people protested to demand that sand mining be allowed but police said that decision has to be taken at a policy level.

“Organisations like the Left-affiliated All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) and Laal Salam are involved in illegal sand mining in the area. After regular complaints of illegal sand mining… the mined sand was put back in water. Coincidentally, all these people were from the Nishad community and because of that the said political leaders had come,” Dixit said. A case for rioting, attempt to murder and illegal mining has been lodged against 10 identified and around 150 unidentified persons over the incident.