Bihar encounter: Family of victim demands justice over govt assistance

The family of Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, who died in a Bihar police encounter, demands the arrest and punishment of the responsible officers. They state that justice is their priority and will only consider the government's job and aid offer afterwards.

The family of 28-year-old Bharat Bhushan Tiwari, who died in an alleged police encounter in Bihar's Bhojpur district on June 17, has said that justice and the arrest of those responsible for his death remain their top priority. Their remarks come after Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said a day earlier that the state government would provide financial assistance to Tiwari's family and a government job to one of his relatives based on the interim report of the judicial inquiry.

'Punish them first': Family prioritises justice over aid

Speaking to ANI, Bharat's mother Asha Devi demanded the arrest and strict punishment of those involved in her son's death. She said the family would discuss the Bihar government's offer of financial assistance and a government job before deciding whether to accept it.

Speaking to ANI, Devi said, "I want to say to the Chief Minister that my first demand is that whoever has killed him, committed the murder, should be hanged. They are roaming free after committing murder; they should be punished first, they should be hanged. This is my demand. After that, about the job or money the Chief Minister has announced, our whole family will sit together and consult each other before we accept it. Right now, this is my demand; I've been demanding this from the start and still am."

"My demand is that whoever is involved and whoever killed him should be hanged and punished, and he should be given the status of a martyr. He lost his life for Jawaniya village.. Right now, I can't say anything. First, they should be punished. They are roaming free; they should be caught. They are roaming free after committing murder. My demand is that they should be arrested as soon as possible and punished. It won't be enough to catch just one; many others are roaming free, especially the SDM. What is the point of just catching the 'small fish'?" she said.

Bharat's father also demanded martyr status for his son and said the family wanted a statue to be built at the place where he died. He said the family would first seek justice and later consider the government's assistance.

"Yes, now what they are doing, what justice they will give, sir... only they will know. He should get the status of a martyr; this is my demand. My son was murdered for the country, for the village, for society; people have sacrificed. And now we want a statue built there where he was murdered. And whatever justice we get... now the Chief Minister has also understood that it's a murder. That's why all this is happening. No, see, first of all we want justice, right? And whatever the Chief Minister said, we are grateful to him. Okay, whatever happens in that... we have two children, right? They will give accordingly. See, everything is in his hands; our Chief Minister is doing everything," he said.

Bharat's brother, Chandan, also said that the family's first priority was justice and demanded that the police personnel allegedly involved in his death be taken into custody and given strict punishment. He said the family would sit together and take a decision on the government's offer.

"No, my first priority is that we get justice. And as soon as possible, whichever police officers are roaming free after committing murder should be taken into custody immediately. Then our whole family will sit together and decide. Right now, I want justice. Just removing them... they should be taken into custody and given the harshest punishment, and even be sentenced to death. This is my demand," he said.

"It's not a matter of being happy or not, but right now I can't say anything about this. The whole family will sit together and decide; after that, something can be said about it. Yes, whatever it is, the whole family hasn't sat together yet. A decision will be made after they sit together. Whatever my parents and the whole family say, we will do that," he further said. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)