IT’s a tragedy of terrors in Jharkhand. The Pathalgadi movement, which started as an assertion of tribal rights, may have descended into mindless violence. While the previous BJP state government imprisoned thousands of tribals and filed 14,000 FIRs, that at the centre now sends probe teams to investigate the violence.
Seven villagers were beheaded last week in West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, allegedly by supporters of the Pathalgadi movement. The bodies of the victims were recovered from a forest in Burugulikera village, south of Ranchi. The victims were identified as James Budh (30), Jabra Budh (22), Lomba Budh (25), Koje Topno (23), Etwa Budh (27), Nirmal Budh (25) and Bobas Lom ga (25). James Budh was the deputy mukhiya of Burugulikera. It appears that the seven had been part of a rebel group of nine men who had opposed the Pathalgadi movement in their area.
They had been vocal against those prop o sing to erect Pathalgadi slabs in Singhbhum forest villages. After an altercation on January 16 at a panchayat, the seven were found dead in the forests ne ar the village with their heads severed. An axe was recovered from the spot.
Hemant Soren, whose JMM was elected just two months ago riding on a pro-tribal wave, promised that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. He held a high-level meeting with Chief Secretary DK Tiwari and DGP Kamal Na yan Choubey. This resulted in the arrest of Ransi Budh, Sukhram Budh and 13 others. Ransi is the husband of a former village mukhiya and Sukhram is a former mukhiya.
The matter may be more complex than it appears to be. Even DGP Choubey believes Pathalgadi may have caused polarisation in the village, but the investigation will have to cover all aspects of the murders. This may include the possibility that Maoists might be involved and may have contributed to the violence, taking advantage of disagreements between the tribal groups.
This story is from the February 10, 2020 edition of India Legal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 10, 2020 edition of India Legal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PIL, Difficult To Swallow?
In a recent ruling, the Bombay High Court lamented the increasing number of frivolous public interest litigations being filed in courts and echoed the sentiments of the Supreme Court that such litigations are the bane of the judicial system. Is there any way to restrict their misuse?
Till Infertility Do Us Part...
The Calcutta High Court slammed a husband for initiating divorce proceedings due to his wife's infertility and asked him to be a pillar of support for her. Courts have often taken an empathetic view in such matters
IS THAT LEGAL?
Ignorance of law is no excuse. Here are answers to frequently asked queries regarding matters that affect us on a day-to-day basis
The Big Lie
In America, The Big Lie is an idiom used by Donald Trump's opponents and the media to describe his constant gripe about election fraud. Now, it seems more suited to another Republican, Congressman George Santos (right), who has been facing growing calls to resign after he admitted fabricating parts of his resume and biography since his election in New York last year.
Flying into the Sunset
Over 50 years since the first and original jumbo jet, the Boeing 747, took to the skies and revolutionized air travel, the last of the legendary aircraft (right) was delivered to a freight charter company, bringing down the curtain on one of aviation's most successful products.
Star Crossed
Actor and producer Alec Baldwin is a Hollywood legend, having starred in a range of movies, award winning TV sitcoms, and theatre. He was most recently seen in Mission Impossible Fallout, which is an apt description of his current situation.
Walkouts in the UK
An estimated half a million workers have gone on strike, shutting down thousands of schools, public transport and border disruption. It is the biggest day of industrial action for more than a decade.
Myanmar's Misery
Two years after the military coup ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the brutal crackdown by the junta on so-called \"insurgents\" and civilian protesters has reached a new level with the use of air strikes, a new and deadly tactic in the ongoing civil war.
AMERICA'S ANGST
From messy, divisive politics to a series of mass shootings, and now black officers brutally beating another black man to death as seen in bodycam videos, America's domestic convulsions are cause for serious introspection
JUSTICE LEAGUE
There are few judicial appointment procedures in the world that are completely bereft of the overarching presence of either the executive or the legislature, or both. In the end, the judge is left with all the powers vested in him/her by the constitution to uphold the rule of law, within an atmosphere of external influences
