Protest In Koderma Against Killing Of Dalit Villager By Police For Playing Holi
On the day of Holi the police beat to death Pradeep Choudhury, a dalit in Tehri village, Satgawa block, Koderma district, after a police chowkidar complained that Pradeep had sprinkled Holi colour on him. On 19 March 2017 hundreds of people led by MLA Rajkumar Yadav marched in angry protest against this through Satgawa bazaar, Kolidih and Basodih to Madhopur where a meeting was held. Addressing the meeting Rajkumar Yadav said that clearly Pradeep Choudhury’s death was a result of the police beating but the police is trying to propagate the lie that Pradeep was an epilepsy patient and to register his death as a case of unnatural death which is completely false. He said that if the responsible police personnel are not arrested by 20 March the CPI (ML) would launch a massive agitation.
Following the protest the DIG, SP and other officials met the victim’s family and gave the assurance that an unbiased enquiry would be conducted into the incident.
A huge protest march was also held in Jhumri Talaiyya against Pradeep’s killing. The speakers addressing the meeting said that Pradeep’s wife has also given a public statement that severe beating by the police was the cause of her husband’s death. They demanded that a case of murder should be registered in Pradeep’s death and appealed to the people to participate in the gherao of the Collectorate on 28 March and strengthen the fight for justice.
