24 Year Old Mohammad Salman Shot Dead on Friday, June 23
Men in uniform, allegedly under the direct instructions of the Thana Prabhari (Thana in Charge) Vinod Kumar Sinha shot dead, at point blank range, 24 year old Mohammad Salman at about 9.30 p.m. on Friday, June 23. His alleged crime? Collecting small cash donations for the festival of Eid celebrated on Monday. It was a cold and bloody Eid for yet another family, this time in Jharkand. On the same Friday, just outside in Delhi 15 year old Junaid had been lynched in a train at Ballabgarh station while the railway police looked on. While the arms guard, Ravi Ram confessed to the crime before the DIG and has been arrested, the senior officers who allegedly ordered the shooting are scot free.
The ghastky crime, straight out a third grade Bollywood movie took place at 9.30 p.m. last Friday, the last Jumma before Ramzan Eid, in the Rajdhar Village (Pipalwar Police Thana) in district Chatra of Jharkand.
Abdul Jabbar, a resident of the village was at home with his family when the police station in charge (thana in charge), Vinod Kumar Sinha and ASI Prem Kumar Mishra (Arms Guard) along with Ravi Ram and five others in police uniform drove up in a Scorpio, entered the home and demanded to see Jabbar’s son, Salman as they wanted ‘to question him.’ Jabbar went inside and called out to his son. Suddenly, it is alleged that Sinha and Mishra pushed him around, shoved him out of the house and ‘ordered the officers accompanying them to shoot Salman.’ In front of the terrified and traumatized family, 24 year old Mohammad Salman was allegedly shot dead in cold blood by three bullets allegedly filed by officers in uniform.
Hearing the distraught screams of the family neighbours helped to take Salman to the hospital in Bachra Kshetriya where he was declared dead on arrival.
The incident has generated outrage and anger among Jharkand’s minority community especially. One man from the officers team who has confessed to the killing has been arrested but the Thana Prabhari who gave the orders to shoot still roams free. Repeated attempts by Sabrangindia to contact the Director General of Police (DGP), DK Pandey met with no success.
Former chief minister of Jharkand, Babulal Marandi of the Jharkand Vikas Morcha has written a letter to Chief Minister, Jharkand and Others demanding stringent action against the entire police team responsible for the crime, investigations to be handed over to the Patna Branch of the CBI and Rs 1 crore compensation to the family as also a government job to one dependant from Salman’s family.
A Video with the Testimony of the Family of Mohammad Salman may be heard here
Full Text of the Letter of Babulal Marandi of the Jharkand Vikas Morcha has written a letter to Chief Minister, Jharkand and Others:
To,
Respected Chief Minister Raghubar Das,
Jharkhand Govt. Ranchi
Police
Subject: Gram Rajghar Post Bahera, Thana Pipalwar (District Chatra) Police Administration’s Criminal Action in Assault and Murder of Innocent Mohammad Salman alias Raja s/o Abdul Jabbar on dated 23-06-2017 who was pulled out and mercilessly killed at about 9.30 p.m. on June 23, 2017
1. Pipalwar Thana Prabhari Shri Vinod Kumar Sinh and Prem Kumar Mishra (A.S.I.) Ravi Rajan (Arms Guard) along with at least 7-8 other accused police officers responsible for the criminal assault should be arrested and prosecutions should be launched against them by registering an FIR of cold blooded murder. They must be awarded death penalty
2. The Investigations be handed over to C.B.I., Patna
3. Give government job to the depenadnts of the victim in the Jharkhand Government and Rs 1 crore rupees compensation
4. In accordance with the Panchayat rules, only after permission of the Panchayat members can a police officer enter the premises or village and this needs to be adhered to. Action against the Panchayat Rules/Law should be taken against the the offenders.
5. Give us guarantee by the government and police administration that henceforth this type of incident never be allowed to take place.
The letter has also been sent to:
1. Governor, Jharkhand
2. Home Secretary, Jharkhand Government
3. Chief Secretary, Jharkhand Government
4. Additional Secretary, Jharkhand Government
5. DGP Jharkhand Government
6. Commissioner of Police, Hazaribaug
7. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Chatra
8. SP, Chatra
9. SDO, Chatra
10. DSP, Tandva
11. National Human Rights Commission Delhi / Ranchi
12. Minority Commission Jharkhand Government
13. Honourable MLA, Simariya
14. Leader of the Opposition, Jharkhand Government (Hemant Soren)
Gist of the FIR registered at the Pipalvar Thana:
"I m Abdul Jabbar s/o Sarfuddin Miyan residing at village – Rajdhar, post Bahera, Thana – Pipalwar, District Chatra.
On Friday, June 23, 2017, I was sitting at my home . About 9.30 pm, Pipalwar thana prabhari Shri Vinod Kumar Sinh and ASI Prem Kumar Mishra (Arms Guard) along with Ravi Ram, five police officers including in team came in Scorpio and forcefully entered in the room and asked me about my son Mohammad Salman where is he, we have to question him. I went inside room and called out to my son, Salman. Then, suddenly, Thana Prabhari Vinod Kumar Sinh and ASI Prem Kumar Mishra pushed him around, took my son out of the house and told the officers accompanying him to shoot him. My elder son Mohammad Salman alias Raja aged 24 was killed by three bullets in his chest, fired by policemen.
Hearing our cries and screams of distress, our neighbours helped to take my son to the hospital in Bachra Kshetriya but the doctors declared him dead on arrival. We are demanding that crimes of murder and assault are registered in a comprehensive FIR against the Thana Prabhari, Vinod Kumar Sinh and the other police officers and prosecution is begun so that justice is done.”