NEW DELHI: Over 15 people, including six cops, were injured after a violent confrontation erupted between tribal students and police officers at the KKM College campus in Jharkhand ’s Pakur district, officials said on Saturday.
The incident occurred late on Friday night when a police team arrived at the college to investigate an abduction case, leading to protests from a group of students residing in a tribal hostel on the premises.
The BJP in Jharkhand claimed that the tribal students, who had planned a protest rally against Bangladeshi infiltration in the Maheshpur area on Saturday, were subjected to brutal beatings by the police. The party demanded action against the police personnel involved in the incident.
According to the hostel students, approximately 10 of them were severely beaten by the police and are currently receiving treatment at a local hospital in Pakur. One student alleged that the police forcibly entered the college campus despite their objections and discouraged them from engaging in politics.
Pakur Superintendent of Police (SP) Prabhat Kumar asserted that the incident was unrelated to the proposed rally by the Adivasi Chatra Sangh, as permission had already been granted by the sub-divisional officer (SDO).
The police had been investigating an abduction case and traced the missing boy's mobile tower location to the vicinity of KKM College. When they entered the campus and questioned a hostel inmate, a heated exchange ensued, leading to the student returning with a large group of armed inmates who attacked the police officers.
"When police asked a hostel inmate if he had seen any activity regarding the case, he questioned the police how they entered the college premises without permission. This led to a heated exchange of words between them," the SP told PTI.
The students also claimed that the police had filed an FIR against 100 hostel inmates.
The Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Amar Bauri, accused the Hemant Soren-led government of crossing "all limits of torture on tribals." He alleged that Muslim infiltrators had seized tribal land in the Gaybathan area of the Maheshpur assembly seat, and when the landowners protested, they were beaten.
Bauri claimed that instead of taking action against the infiltrators, the police targeted the tribal students who were planning to lead the agitation.
"Muslim infiltrators grabbed the land of tribals in Gaybathan area in Maheshpur assembly seat. When owners of the land protested, they were beaten up. When the administration did not take any action, tribal organisations in Pakur decided to hold a mega rally on Saturday over the incident. Instead of taking action against infiltrators, police visited a tribal hostel in KKM College and beat up the students brutally, who were scheduled to lead the agitation," Bauri alleged.
BJP state president Babulal Marandi echoed these sentiments, saying that Bangladeshi infiltration continues to threaten the "identity and existence" of Jharkhand. He demanded strict action against the police officers involved in the incident and called for proper treatment arrangements for the injured students.
The incident occurred late on Friday night when a police team arrived at the college to investigate an abduction case, leading to protests from a group of students residing in a tribal hostel on the premises.
The BJP in Jharkhand claimed that the tribal students, who had planned a protest rally against Bangladeshi infiltration in the Maheshpur area on Saturday, were subjected to brutal beatings by the police. The party demanded action against the police personnel involved in the incident.
According to the hostel students, approximately 10 of them were severely beaten by the police and are currently receiving treatment at a local hospital in Pakur. One student alleged that the police forcibly entered the college campus despite their objections and discouraged them from engaging in politics.
Pakur Superintendent of Police (SP) Prabhat Kumar asserted that the incident was unrelated to the proposed rally by the Adivasi Chatra Sangh, as permission had already been granted by the sub-divisional officer (SDO).
The police had been investigating an abduction case and traced the missing boy's mobile tower location to the vicinity of KKM College. When they entered the campus and questioned a hostel inmate, a heated exchange ensued, leading to the student returning with a large group of armed inmates who attacked the police officers.
"When police asked a hostel inmate if he had seen any activity regarding the case, he questioned the police how they entered the college premises without permission. This led to a heated exchange of words between them," the SP told PTI.
The students also claimed that the police had filed an FIR against 100 hostel inmates.
The Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Amar Bauri, accused the Hemant Soren-led government of crossing "all limits of torture on tribals." He alleged that Muslim infiltrators had seized tribal land in the Gaybathan area of the Maheshpur assembly seat, and when the landowners protested, they were beaten.
Bauri claimed that instead of taking action against the infiltrators, the police targeted the tribal students who were planning to lead the agitation.
"Muslim infiltrators grabbed the land of tribals in Gaybathan area in Maheshpur assembly seat. When owners of the land protested, they were beaten up. When the administration did not take any action, tribal organisations in Pakur decided to hold a mega rally on Saturday over the incident. Instead of taking action against infiltrators, police visited a tribal hostel in KKM College and beat up the students brutally, who were scheduled to lead the agitation," Bauri alleged.
BJP state president Babulal Marandi echoed these sentiments, saying that Bangladeshi infiltration continues to threaten the "identity and existence" of Jharkhand. He demanded strict action against the police officers involved in the incident and called for proper treatment arrangements for the injured students.
