“Police threatened to dispose bust if we do not remove it”: Brother of Galwan martyr

The brother of Galwan Valley martyr Jai Kishore has alleged that the Bihar Police ordered them to remove a memorial that they built for the fallen jawan, in Vaishali, failing which they will “dispose it in the waters”. The claim comes a day after the kin of the jawan, who was one of 20 Indian soldiers killed in a clash with Chinese PLA troops in the Galwan Valley in 2020, claimed that his father was thrashed and arrested by police for erecting a memorial for his son on government land in Jandaha, Bihar’s Vaishali. The police claimed that the memorial was built on someone else’s property, resulting in encroachment.

“I don’t have any idea why they arrested my father or why an FIR was filed against him. All the information that has come out in the public domain in the matter is fabricated. This memorial was built following due process. The DSP ordered us to remove the memorial, threatening to dispose it in the waters if we do not comply,” Nand Kishore, brother of the slain jawan Jai Kishore, told ANI on Tuesday.

Manju Devi, the fallen soldier’s mother, told ANI that the police assaulted her husband and refused to provide information about the legal action taken against him. She also stated that the police “threatened” the family with consequences if the memorial was not removed.

“The police came and took away my husband. They manhandled him and didn’t even inform us of his arrest or the legal action being taken against him. They repeatedly threatened us with consequences if we do not remove the memorial,” the jawan’s mother told ANI.

The police had previously stated that no permission was obtained to construct the memorial on the land, which they claimed belonged to someone else.

“On January 23, a case was registered under SC/ST Act over a bust installed on the land belonging to Hari Nath Ram and on government land in Jandaha. Later, boundary walls were erected around the memorial. They (family of the fallen jawan) did not seek official permission. If they wanted, they could have made it their own land or seek land from the government. There would not have been any issue then. The landowner’s rights were violated due to encroachment,” the SDPO Mahua said on Tuesday.

However, the jawan’s brother, Nand Kishore, who is also a member of the armed forces, accused the police of thrashing and abusing his father.

“DSP ma’am came to see us and asked us to remove the statue within 15 days. I told her I’d show her the paperwork (for raising the memorial). Later, the officer in charge of the police station came to our house and beat up my father before arresting him. They also abused my father. I am also a member of the armed forces “According to Nand Kishore.

Locals demonstrated against the police action, chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.