Dalit couple assaulted for protesting tree felling: Case filed against constable and contractor in Basti on court order, 5-year-old case

Following an order from the Special Judge SC/ST Act Court in Basti, Walterganj police have filed a case against a former constable and a contractor from their own department. The case dates back to May 26, 2021.

Reena Devi, a resident of Ganeshpur, alleges that contractor Durgesh Choubey was cutting down two green mango trees planted along the PWD road in front of her house without valid permission. When she protested, the contractor used casteist slurs. Meanwhile, Vinod, a constable at the then Ganeshpur outpost, who was in plain clothes, assaulted her husband, Rajesh Kumar Sonkar, and forcibly detained him at the outpost.

Allegations of having the trees cut while her husband was locked up in the outpost

According to Reena Devi, when she protested against the tree felling, the constable dragged her husband by the collar and locked him in the outpost. It is alleged that the contractor had the trees cut down while her husband was detained and took away the wood. Later, as the dispute escalated, the constable had the wood pulled by a tractor and stored at the police station.

The victim alleges that her husband was released after threatening to send him to jail under false charges. Following the incident, she sent a complaint to the Chief Minister’s Portal, as well as to police officers and the District Magistrate, demanding action, but she alleges that no action was taken at the police level.

Five years later, a case was filed on a court order.

Following the police’s inaction, Reena Devi filed a petition in the court of the Special Judge, SC/ST Act. Following the court’s order, Walterganj police registered a case against then-constable Vinod and contractor Durgesh Choubey at 5:04 pm on September 10th. The police are now investigating the matter based on the court order and the allegations made in the victim’s complaint.

Raj Prakash | Basti

Courtesy: Hindi News