Shivnath Ram, who belonged to the Dalit community in Muzaffarpur was murdered over drinking water dispute, whereas Rajkumar Mahto was killed by casteist forces in Saran District for Bihar, because his mother refused to clean the house of an upper caste person. In both cases the Bihar police and administration is recalcitrant in taking stern action against the culprits. The CPIML will soon meet the Chief Minister to demand immediate action.
CPIML Bihar Secretary Kunal and MLA from Phulwari Sharif Gopal Ravidas told on 18 July that Shivnath Ram was murdered in Sahebganj of Muzaffarpur district by strongmen with BJP connections. An auto driver Rajkumar Mahto in Saran was also killed by similar forces. Such attacks on poor and vulnerable communities raises questions on the Mahagathbandhan government in the state which is not taking appropriate measures to put a control on the castiest and domineering forces emboldened by the BJP.
Muzaffarpur Killing
Sixty five year old mango seller Shivnath Ram was brutally murdered on 2 July in Parsauni Dube village Sahebganj block. At night he used to work as watchman in a poultry farm of Siyaram Singh. In the morning of 2 July he was ‘caught’ drinking water near the poultry farm at a place owned by Anesh Thakur. Anesh Thakur called him Untouchable and started with his associates brutally beating Shivnath Ram. Shivnath ran inside the poultry farm but could not save his life as the killer came in and beat him up till he was dead. A case is registered in Sahebganj thana under FIR 296/23 but none of the killers are arrested yet while the police is now threatening the family of the deceased on various pretexts. Allegedly police have taken bribes from the killers for not taking action. A CPIML team visited the aggrieved family of Shivnath Ram. The team consisted of Vishwakarma Sharma, Vir Bahadur Sahni, Vidyasagar, Munna Kushwaha, Rampirit Paswan, Harilal Ram and Samir.
Incident at Saran
Twenty four year old auto-rickshaw driver Rajkumar Mahto was killed on 9 July in Sonepur of Saran district. He was killed because his mother refused to work as domestic labour in the house of one Vikram Singh. For lower caste people to work in the upper caste houses is a feudal exploitative practice which Rajkumar refused to obey and asked his mother to abstain from such type of works. This angered Vikram Singh who killed Rajkumar by a brutal beating. The only breadwinner of his family, his death has orphaned his wife and an infant girl without any source of income. The administration again has not taken action against the killer. A CPIML team visited the village and demanded action against the killers. The party has also asked to provide Rs. 10 lakh immediate relief to the affected family. CPIML is planning to hold a protest against this atrocity and callus administration.
