Com. Indal Mehta, hailing from Arwal district passed away at the age of 65 years in jail. He had been in jail since 2003 and had been keeping ill since several days. Due to the negligence of the jail authorities he died on 10 January.

Com. Indal Mehta joined CPI (ML) in 1985 and soon became a strong voice of the workers and farmers of the region. In 1999, after the Narayanpur massacre, he was one of the leading activists to reach the site of the massacre and lead the protests. He led the struggle for capture of Gair Majrua land in Lari and made it possible for the poor to reside there. Police unleashed a brutal lathicharge on him and had him arrested. Under the instructions of the feudal forces of Belsaar village in Arwal, he was charged under TADA. He was acquitted of the charges in 2004. However, once again the feudal forces filed false charges against him. He started the campaign to inhabit the poor on Kesar-e-hind land captured by feudal goons. It is for his involvement in this movement that he was arrested on the charges of a murder of a feudal goon Lalan Yadav and was given the sentence for life imprisonment.

Com. Indal Mehta belonged to oppressed sections and had also participated in the anti-emergency agitations. Most of his political life was spent in jail. However, even inside the jail, his fight against corruption continued. He is survived by his wife and four sons. One of his brother is district committee member of Arwal unit.

His last rites were performed in his village- Sarvarpur, in which party’s Central committee member Com. Ramjatan Sharma, Kisan Mahasabha leader Com. Raamdhar Singh along with other leaders and hundreds of people from the village participated.

The ruling establishment has committed judicial murders of Com. Shah Chand, Com. Indal and several of our comrades. Even now, several of our leaders are in jail despite having served sentences. Several of them are ageing or ill and the government refuses to release them.
Com. Mehta will remain a source of inspiration. Be it jail or toiling lands, his voice always resonated against oppression and injustice. 