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Uproar in Rajasthan Assembly

Special Correspondent

Over alleged beating of a Panchayat Samiti member

JAIPUR: A recent episode of alleged thrashing of a Panchayat Samiti member taken into custody during farmers' agitation at Anupgarh in Sriganganagar district led to heated exchanges in the Rajasthan Assembly on Thursday, forcing the State Government to announce removal of the police officer involved in the incident.

The issue came up during the zero hour when the lone Communist Party of India (Marxist) member, Amra Ram, tried to move an adjournment motion with the plea that beating of an elected representative inside a police station amounted to an infringement of the democratic right to protest. However, Speaker Sumitra Singh rejected the notice for the motion.

Mr. Amra Ram pointed out that the Panchayat Samiti member was beaten on March 17 while he was in judicial custody following his arrest during the farmers' agitation for irrigation water. "He was taken to the police station after being produced in the court, which sent him in judicial remand, and was mercilessly thrashed. Is this the way to treat an elected representative?"

Action demanded

When Leader of Opposition Ramnarain Chaudhary demanded action against the police officers concerned, the treasury members retorted that some elected representatives were creating trouble in Sriganganagar and Bikaner districts by spearheading an unjustified agitation of farmers. The House witnessed heated exchanges over the issue for some time.

Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, on being prodded by the Opposition, announced that the Deputy Superintendent of Police involved in the episode would be immediately removed. He said he had already ordered a probe into the incident to be conducted by the Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch), Jodhpur.

Mr. Kataria agreed that the job of police in connection with an accused in judicial custody was to take him from the court to the jail.

He said the State Government had taken a serious view of the Panchayat Samiti member being taken to the police station and beaten up and assured the House that further action would be taken after receiving the inquiry report.

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