Ranchi
A day after Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced recommending a CBI probe into the death of tribal activist Nisha Bhagat, National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Vijaya Kishor Rahatkar on Wednesday visited her family in Gumla and questioned the State government’s accountability, stressing that recommending a central investigation did not absolve it of its responsibility to ensure women’s safety and prevent such incidents.
Meeting Bhagat’s father, Handu Bhagat, at their residence in Uru village, Rahatkar expressed condolences, heard the family’s account of the circumstances surrounding her death and assured them that the commission would pursue the matter to ensure justice.
Speaking to journalists after the visit, Rahatkar said she had learnt that the State government had recommended a CBI investigation but maintained that the government must also examine the circumstances that led to the tragedy. It must identify shortcomings in the system, including the role of the police and administration when women approach them with complaints, she said.
She said she had contacted Jharkhand DGP soon after learning about the incident and sought serious action. The NCW was concerned about the increasing instances of harassment of women in the state and would not tolerate negligence in matters relating to their safety and dignity, she added.
Responding to questions about objectionable remarks against women on social media, Rahatkar said such conduct was also a matter of serious concern and the commission was examining ways to initiate appropriate action. She said the police and administration needed to respond more effectively to complaints and take preventive measures rather than act only after a tragedy.
The NCW chairperson said she would meet senior police officers and district administration officials in Ranchi to ascertain the action taken in the Nisha Bhagat case and discuss other incidents concerning women’s safety and justice in the state. The commission had taken suo motu cognisance of Bhagat’s death on November 7 and sought a detailed action-taken report from the state authorities within seven days.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Raghubar Das welcomed Soren’s decision to recommend a CBI probe, saying that although the move had come late, it had raised hopes of justice for Bhagat. He urged the Chief Minister to similarly recommend CBI investigations into the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) and Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) recruitment examinations, arguing that the future of the state’s youth also deserved attention.
Bhagat was found dead at her Ranchi residence on November 6, hours after an emotional Facebook Live broadcast in which she alleged harassment by land brokers and accused the administration and police of failing to act on her complaints concerning alleged land grabbing. Her parents have alleged a conspiracy behind her death.
The police have registered an FIR against two persons on the basis of her father’s complaint and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The officer-in-charge of Pithoria police station was also removed from his post following allegations of police inaction.
