Jharkhand: CM orders CBI probe into Adivasi activist’s death

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the death of an Adivasi activist.

The 39-year-old activist, Nisha Bhagat, died allegedly by suicide on Friday after going live on Facebook to accuse the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led state government and land brokers of harassing her for highlighting problems, The Hindu reported.

Her parents alleged a conspiracy in her death and demanded an investigation.

The chief minister’s announcement came hours after the officer in charge of the Pithoria police station near Ranchi was suspended on administrative grounds amid allegations of a conspiracy in the case, The Times of India and the Hindustan Times reported.

The incident took place in the Pithoria police station area and Bhagat had allegedly called the station house officer during the live video, The Hindu reported.

The chief minister’s announcement came on the same day as the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes directed police officials to probe the death and submit a report within a week, the newspaper quoted a notice as having stated, the Hindustan Times reported.

The commission was reported to have taken suo moto cognisance of the case. It served notices to the state’s chief secretary, the director general of police and the senior superintendent of Ranchi Police, the newspaper reported.

On Saturday, the police registered a first information report against two persons based on a complaint by...

Read more