Police guns down five in Papkara

Police guns down five in Papkara
MANOJ PRASAD

RANCHI, FEB 2: Five persons were gunned down by the police today at Papkara, 40 km from here, following a scuffle between some protestors and the police.

According to a senior police officer, a group of about 4,000 people assembled at the Papkara police post this morning, pelted stones on the policemen and set ablaze five police vehicles, necessitating the firing. Four persons reportedly died on the spot and five were critically injured. One of them is said to have succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital.

The dead, though unindentified, are believed to be tribals. Bernard Minz, a 55-yr-old resident of Papkara, claimed: ``The police opened fire on those protesting against its `high-handedness'. They did not even speak to the protestors. The people got agitated, a scuffle followed, and soon the police opened fire,'' said Minz.

Ranchi SSP Neeraj Sinha and south Chhotanagpur DIG R.D. Subarno are in Ranchi to ensure that law and order is maintained.

On Wednesday, when a police patrol entered the neighbouring Torpa village -- the hotbed of the 710 mw Koel Karo project agitation, on since 1990 -- in search of Naxalites, the villagers reportedly protested against it.

They would not let police and civil officials enter as they had clammed janta curfew against the project. This had also led to a scuffle in which Amrit Gudiya, a resident, was reportedly injured. Today, the people had gheraoed the Papkara police post in protest against yesterday's killing.

Subsequently, the police post and one police vehicle were set ablaze by the protestors, compelling the police to open fire, DGP T.P. Sinha told The Indian Express. After the firing, four more vehicles were burnt by them, added Sinha.

The firing has dealt a severe blow to the 70-day-old Marandi govt which has been trying to woo the people in Jharkhand . Chief Minister Babulal Marandi has made two dozen-odd announcements to create a ``disciplined'' police force.

In fact, his move to order an inquiry into the killing of three Muslim youths in police firing on December 26 has been criticised by opposition parties who say a probe is redundant when the police opens fire and kills innocent people.

Meanwhile, the JMM, the RJD, the CPI (M), and the CPI, led by state secretary Upendra Chaurasia, have demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed today.