The killing of four persons of a minority community, including a baby child and a pregnant woman, in police firing at Forbesganj in Araria district on June 3 has generated a lot of political heat with opposition parties staging dharnas and demonstrations almost every day. The state government has already ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident. However, despite a lapse of two weeks, nothing concrete has come out. Fear has gripped the residents of Bhajanpur village, where police opened fire on a group of demonstrators protesting the closure of a road. So far, the government has neither announced any compensation to the victims, except for an eight-month-old child victim, whose kin were given an ex gratia of Rs 3 lakh, nor initiated action against any official despite a report submitted by home secretary Amir Subhani.
“The incident was barbaric and the government’s attitude is intriguing,” said Phulwarisharif-based Imarat Shariah general secretary Maulana Anisur Rahman Qasmi. He said that people’s anger over the closure of the said road was natural and that the police action was uncalled for.