In the Mahapanchayat organized on Wednesday (June 24) in Biloti village of Shahpur police station area of Bhojpur district, the anger of the people against the government and administration regarding the Bharat Bhushan Tiwari encounter case came out openly. The family members, villagers and representatives of various social organizations participating in the Mahapanchayat unanimously demanded an impartial investigation into the case and strict action against the guilty policemen. During this time, an ultimatum of seven days was given to the Bihar government on behalf of Bharat Tiwari’s family.
The family says that if the guilty officers and policemen are not arrested within the stipulated time and the victim’s family does not get justice, then they will be forced to start a massive mass movement. It was also indicated in the Mahapanchayat that the scope of the movement will not be limited to Bhojpur only, but it will be taken to entire Bihar and other parts of the country.
Pressure increased after FIR in Bharat Tiwari case!
The Mahapanchayat was organized at a time when an FIR had been registered in Shahpur police station regarding the encounter case on the complaint of Bharat Tiwari’s mother a day earlier. According to the information released by the Superintendent of Police office, a case has been registered against the concerned officers and policemen on the basis of the application given by the mother of the deceased. However, family members say that mere registration of FIR is not enough, arrest of the culprits is also necessary.
Cousin announces resignation from job
Addressing the Mahapanchayat, Bharat Tiwari’s cousin Bumrah Tiwari said emotionally, “The family is continuously fighting for justice, but till now the expected action has not been taken.” He claimed that he was selected in Bihar Police, but hurt by Bharat Tiwari’s death, he has decided to leave the job.
He said that the death of a family member has shaken the entire family and now his entire focus will be on the fight for justice. He also appealed to the people to support the movement.
If arrest is not made till Shraddha, there will be a big movement
Villager Pankaj Tripathi, present in the Mahapanchayat, said that people from many states of the country had come to participate in this program. He said, “After discussion among the people from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, it has been decided that if the named accused are not arrested and sent to jail till the Shraddha of Bharat Tiwari, then after that a new phase of the movement will begin.
He said that after Shraddha, preparations will be made to gherao the Assembly, gherao the Chief Minister’s residence and if necessary, take the movement to Jantar Mantar in Delhi. He said that if the government takes action against the accused policemen, there will be no need for agitation, but if a cover-up is done then the struggle will intensify.
Important evidence given to mobile recovery
The issue of Bharat Tiwari’s mobile phone also came up prominently in the Mahapanchayat. Pankaj Tripathi said that the live video and other important information made by Bharat Tiwari during the incident was present in the mobile. They allege that the mobile is in the possession of the police and its recovery is very important for the investigation of the case.
He said that the truth of the entire matter may become clear when digital evidence related to the mobile comes to light. He claimed that even deleted data can be brought back through scientific techniques, hence recovery of the mobile and its forensic investigation is necessary.
Questions on post mortem report and investigation also
The people present in the Mahapanchayat also raised questions on the post mortem report not being made public yet. Speakers expressed apprehension that there might be an attempt to hide facts in the report. Although there has been no official confirmation in this regard, the villagers reiterated their demand for a transparent investigation.
Besides, questions were also raised regarding the judicial inquiry announced by the state government. People said that the investigation has been announced, but till now it has not been made clear who will conduct the investigation, what will be its time limit and when will the report come.
The kitten echoed the demand for justice.
During the Mahapanchayat, slogans were raised demanding justice in the entire area. A large number of villagers, social workers and representatives of various organizations were present in the program. In the meeting, demands were raised to provide justice to Bharat Tiwari, arrest of the culprits, security of digital evidence and ensuring fair investigation.
At present the family and supporters have given one week’s time to the government. Now everyone’s eyes are on what steps the administration and government take in this matter in the coming days. If the demands of the family members are not met, then this movement that started from Bhojpur can become a big issue in the politics of Bihar.