Jat stir: Probe hits dead end in most cases
Judicial officers dissatisfied with the investigation in most cases; of the 684 FIRs filed in Rohtak, status of culprits is ‘untraced’ in 575 cases; rural areas have filed lesser untraced reports
Haryana police had prepared ‘untraced’ reports beforehand in 81% of the 1,084 cases regarding violence in the 2016 Jat agitation.
CHANDIGARH: Parleys between the Haryana government and Jat quota agitation leaders on withdrawing cases began much later in 2017, but police had already prepared ‘untraced’ reports in 81% of the 1,084 cases registered in Rohtak district for the February 2016 violence. A close scrutiny of reports submitted before Punjab and Haryana high court reveals that of the 1,084 FIRs in Rohtak, which remained epicentre of the quota violence, police probe has reached the dead end in 883 cases. Most reports were prepared between July and December 2016 on the high court’s direction. In over 90% cases, judicial officers have shown their dissatisfaction with the probe. A total of 684 FIRs were filed in Rohtak city and now there are 575 untraced reports.
The city had witnessed largescale damage to private as well as government properties and FIRs include that of arson, loot and vandalism. Separate figures of losses in Rohtak are not available but a probe panel report had estimated ₹20,000-crore loss across the state. As many as 1,196 shops were set ablaze, 371 vehicles were damaged or set on fire, 30 schools and colleges were burnt, 75 houses were set afire, 53 hotels and marriage palaces were devastated, 23 petrol pumps were attacked and 15 religious institutions vandalised.
As many as 29 police station and posts were set ablaze and police weapons were looted. Majority of the losses were in Rohtak as it remained under protesters’ siege for days together. Thirty persons also lost lives, several of them in Rohtak.
Out of total 684 FIRs in Rohtak urban, as many as 132 FIRs were registered at city police station, with 123 untraced and 5 cancellation reports now; and of the 110 FIRs in Urban Estate, 79 are untraced. Police at third locality of civil lines filed 220 FIRs, of which 184 declared untraced. At the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) police station, 181 FIRs were registered and 156 untraced reports have been filed; A toal of 29 FIRs and 23 untraced reports were filed at Old Subzi Mandi.
The district, envied by residents of other areas, saw devastation barely a year after Bhupinder Singh Hooda, lost throne of chief minister to Manohar Lal Khattar.
In the 10-year-rule of Hooda, Rohtak saw ‘unprecedented’ development. Rohtak Lok Sabha segment is now represented by Deepender Hooda, former CM’s son. Finance minister Captain Abhimanyu also lives in Rohtak. Several of his properties, including residence, were looted and set afire in the mayhem. The cases are now being probed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
INVESTIGATION FAR FROM SATISFACTORY
Be it urban Rohtak or rural areas, the local magistrates have reported of ‘shoddy job’ with accused in most cases still unidentified.
But as compared to urban, rural police have filed lesser untraced reports. In Sampla, there are 23 cases but no untraced report so far. In Kalanaur, there are a total of 377 FIRs, but 335 untraced cases.
“No concrete steps have been taken by the investigation officer …undersigned is of the considered opinion that the investigation conducted by the police in the instant case is not satisfactory,” says Nidhi Solanki, a civil judge in her report in a Kalanaur FIR in which valuables worth ₹55 lakh were gutted in a shop put on fire by miscreants.
For three months, no miscreant was identified, she has remarked in report. Other judicial officers have lamented the same.
The HC, is monitoring probe into these cases and had expressed its concern over untraced reports on March 16, when Anupam Gupta, a senior advocate and impartial adviser in this case, had pointed out that out of 555 FIRs in Hisar, Jhajjar, Sonepat and Bhiwani, 216 untraced reports have been filed. A total of 2,110 FIRs were filed with regard to the February 2016 violence.
AS MANY AS 29 POLICE STATION AND POSTS WERE SET ABLAZE AND POLICE WEAPONS WERE LOOTED; 30 LIVES WERE LOST IN THE VIOLENCE