Date:05/01/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/05/stories/2003010504780100.htm

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CBI will probe killings, says Rabri Devi

Patna Jan. 4. In a bid to stem political opposition following largescale violence, the Bihar Government today decided to hand over to the CBI the investigation of last Saturday's killing of three youths here in a `fake' police encounter. Announcing this at a crowded press conference here, the Bihar Chief Minister, Rabri Devi, said the CID investigation into the killing already under way would continue till the CBI took over the case.

She said the CBI would also probe the killing of two persons at Manjhaul in Begusarai district by the police in a case of mistaken identity on December 23. The Government would fully cooperate with the Central investigating agency.

The RJD president, Laloo Prasad Yadav, who was present at the hurriedly-called press conference, said a `sinister attempt' was being made by the Centre and the NDA to create confusion over the institution of the CID inquiry.

``We want the truth to come out even though we don't doubt the sincerity of the State agency (CID) .... there was no attempt to hush up the matter,'' he said.

The Government did its best to bring to book the police personnel involved in Saturday's encounter. The sub-inspector of the Shastrinagar Police Station had already been arrested and remanded to judicial custody, he said.

Rabri Devi said the State Government had already announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakhs to the families of each of the three victims.

Blasting the NDA for trying to politicise a human tragedy she said: ``Yeh log lash par rajniti ki roti sek rahe hain'' (they are playing politics over bodies).

``Yeh log sarkar ko gherna chahte hain jis mein yeh safal nahin honge'' (they want to corner the Government, but will fail) she said charging Opposition parties with instigating violence in the aftermath of the encounter at Ashiana Nagar.

Mr. Yadav said the Government would send a letter to the CBI later this evening requesting it to take over the probe. He admitted that initially the police tried to portray the killings as an encounter and even the media was misled. Mr. Yadav charged the NDA with trying to provoke police action by instigating the local people to indulge in violence.

He brushed aside the allegation by the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Sushil Kumar Modi, that he suffered head injuries in a lathicharge during Friday's Bihar bandh.

Protests continue

The NDA and the Left parties staged `dharnas' across the State, burning effigies of Rabri Devi and pledging to intensify the agitation for the dismissal of her Ministry for ``lawlessness and police brutality''.

The NDA, during its crucial meeting held here at the BJP State headquarters, resolved to intensify its agitation. The meeting charted out the NDA's future course of action and decided that a delegation of its constituents would meet the Governor, V.C. Pande, on Monday seeking the dismissal of the Rabri Government.

PTI