MMS seek CBI probe into death of youth in police custody

JAMMU, JAN 02: Dozens of Mahila Sanrakshan Samiti (MSS) activists led by its Core Committee Member Archana Koushal today reached the residence of Jammu East MLA Ashok Khajuria and sought his intervention in making the government to order CBI inquiry into the custodial killing of a youth Rajneesh Sharma. Archana Koushal and other members of the Samiti told the MLA that Rajneesh Sharma was illegally kidnapped from Jammu by Srinagar Police with the connivance of Jammu Police, taken to Srinagar, locked up in Ram Munshi Bagh Police Station, tortured, given inhuman treatment for days together, which resulted into his death. It was a murder by the police but unfortunately no action was taken against any police officer from Srinagar and Jammu. They said that the government adopts different yardstick for a crime committed in Srinagar and Jammu. As the youth belonged to Jammu, no one took the matter seriously and today even after three months of the killing not even a single word of condemnation has been uttered from any one, be it Chief Minister (CM), Ministers or MLAs. They appealed the MLA to meet the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and demand CBI enquiry. Ashok Khajuria gave a patient hearing to what the Samiti activists narrated and assured that he will personally take up the matter with State Chief Minister and ask him to hand over the case to CBI as per their wishes as the State Police has failed to initiate any action against erring police officials over Rajneesh Murder even after three months of this heinous crime. Khajuria reminded them that BJP was the only organization which firstly highlighted the custodial killing of Rajneesh Sharma and demanded immediate action. He said the BJP National Secretary & Member of Parliament Balbir Punj was the first national leader to visit the bereaved family of Rajneesh Sharma at Jammu to express party’s sympathy. Balbir Punj had also demanded inquiry and punishment to the culprits while addressing a press conference at Jammu on the same day. He further told them that BJP leader & Health Minister of Punjab Smt. Lakshmikanta Chawala also visited the family and demand immediate arrest of those responsible for murder of Rajneesh Sharma in police custody. It was only when the Mahila Sanrakshan Samiti was constituted that the BJP deemed it necessary to support it and not take further lead as our political rivals could charge BJP of indulging in cheap politics over the death of the youth. He declared that the cause of Jammu has always been among on top priorities of the BJP and that any injustice and discrimination meted to Jammu in any field will be opposed tooth and nail. Mahila Sanrakshan Samiti Core Committee Members including Usha Choudhary, Priya Sethi, Anuradha Charak, Sangeeta Mahajan, Sureshta Jamwal, Vidhya Devi, Sudarsh Kour, Nirmal Mahajan, Saroj Devi, Vijay Kumari, Suresh Jamwal, Parveen Arora, Tripta Devi, Renu Khajuria, Sheela Handoo, Shakuntla Devi were prominent among the Samiti team which called on the MLA.