On August 16, 2020, police arrested Bijay Mahara, 19, at his home in Garuda Municipality-8, Rautahat, along with 10 others over their alleged involvement in a murder that took place a day earlier. The Area Police Office Garuda alleged that Mahara assisted Shekh Alam, another local resident, in the murder of Niranjan Ram, also from the same area.
Despite repeated requests from family members and local rights activists, police didn’t allow family members to meet Mahara and other detainees. However, ten days later, on August 26 at midnight, the family was informed that Mahara died while receiving treatment for a kidney ailment at National Medical College, Birgunj. According to the family, Bijay Ram died due to torture at the hands of the police. “The police didn’t even let us meet him when he was taken to the hospital. His health condition was perfectly fine. He died because the police beat him ruthlessly,” the family alleged.
However, police refuted the allegations. On August 27, Thursday, a large number of people organized a sit-in in front of the police office and chanted slogans. Police personnel were deployed in the area to bring the situation under control. The State 2 government offered relief of Rs 500,000 to the family of Bijay Mahara of Rautahat.
Three policemen have been suspended for their alleged involvement in the death of 19-year-old Bijay Ram Mahara of Garuda Municipality-8, Basaviti Jingadia. Inspector Nabin Kumar Singh from the District Police Office, Rautahat, and Constables Firoz Miya Dhuniya and Munna Kumar Singh have been suspended. Though the Home Ministry has suspended three personnel, DSP Gyan Kumar Mahato of the Area Police Office, Garuda, has been called to the Provincial Police Office. However, the Dalit community and locals continue to hold Mahato accountable for the incident.
