The suicide of Vikram Meena (26), a Dalit youth in the Jaipur rural area, has gained momentum. Naresh Meena arrived in Raisar to protest for justice for Vikram's family. Along with his supporters, he announced that the protest will continue until Vikram Meena's family's demands are met.
Jaipur: The suicide case of a Dalit youth in the Jaipur rural area has gained momentum. On Thursday, October 2, 26-year-old Vikram Meena hanged himself from a tree 100 meters away from the police station. The family alleges that Vikram was stripped and beaten by forest officials. Frustrated by the lack of police action, Vikram took his own life. Naresh Meena has now set up camp in Raisar to seek justice for Vikram’s family. Late last night, Naresh Meena arrived in Raisar with his supporters and began a sit-in protest. Naresh Meena announced that they would continue the protest until the demands of Vikram Meena’s family were met.
Police fired in the air to disperse the crowd.
Vikram Meena’s death angered villagers. They attacked and vandalized the forest office, forcing forest officials to flee. Later, the family and dozens of villagers reached the Raisar police station, demanding action against the forest officials who assaulted Vikram. Former Jamwaramgarh MLA Gopal Meena also joined the protest.
A large crowd of villagers gathered outside the police station. Later, when BJP MLA Mahendra Pal Singh arrived, people began protesting. Stones were pelted at the police station. Subsequently, the police resorted to lathi charge, firing several rounds in the air, and dispersed the crowd by firing tear gas shells.
Former MLA injured in lathicharge, detained
Former MLA Gopal Meena, Aandhi Pradhan Mansi Meena, District Congress Treasurer Bhagwan Sahay Mukkad, District Councilor Vijay Meena, along with several villagers and family members of the deceased Vikram Meena, were injured in the lathicharge by the police. Villagers also pelted stones at the police in protest against the lathicharge. Police subsequently detained former MLA Gopal Meena and Pradhan Mansi Meena.
Regarding the seriousness of the incident, several Congress leaders arrived at the scene. Congress MLAs Manish Yadav, Prashant Sharma, former MLA Indraj Gurjar, and Anil Chopra, the Congress candidate from the Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha constituency, also reached Raisar.
Family and villagers put forward these demands to the administration:
Family and villagers are sitting on a protest with Vikram Meena’s body. Several leaders, including Naresh Meena, are present with them. The family and villagers demand a judicial inquiry into Vikram Meena’s death. The forest officials who assaulted him should be immediately arrested and strict action taken against them. Action should also be taken against the policemen who threatened and drove Vikram away from the police station when he went to lodge a complaint.
Action should also be taken against the police officers responsible for the lathicharge on those peacefully protesting demanding justice. Naresh Meena stated that Vikram’s family will negotiate with the administration. When the family agrees, they will end the protest and leave.
Edited by: Sudhendra Pratap Singh•Reported by: Ramswaroop Lamrod
About the Author
Sudhendra Pratap Singh, Principal Content Producer at Navbharat Times Online. His journalism career began in Agra. He began his journey with the local newspaper Agrabharat. From there, the caravan grew through Kalpataru Express, Hindustan Newspaper, and News18, and then reached NBT.com. He currently covers politics, crime, current affairs, and off-beat news in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan.
Courtesy: Hindi News