New Delhi:
With the Rajasthan government under fire over the riots in Bharatpur that killed eight people, the post-mortem report of the deceased has become critical for the Ashok Gehlot government. The report will establish whether the victims died in the police firing or in the firing between the two groups.
Eight people were killed and 21 were injured after a clash between two communities on September 14 in the Gopalgarh area of the district. According to police, incorrect entry of a land meant for digging a pond as a graveyard in government records by a local
patwari was the cause of the clash.
The administration maintains that the police resorted to firing to disperse the warring groups. Human rights organisations, though, are questioning why a large number of casualties was from one particular group.
Six bodies, meanwhile, are still awaiting post-mortem as relatives have refused to take their bodies.
The Congress assured the victims of justice and action against the accused.
"The state government has not only ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident but also a CBI inquiry", party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said.
The opposition though slammed the government, alleging that it was trying to cover up the police atrocities. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in fact, attacked Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, saying, "Rahul has time to go to Bhatta Parsaul, but he doesn't have time to visit Bharatpur in the state where his party is in power".
The BJP's swipe at Mr Gandhi was in reference to the latter's visit to the twin villages in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh - Bhatta and Parsaul - after unrest broke out in May this year following a clash between villagers and cops. Four people were killed after the agitating farmers - upset over land acquisition in the area - and the police opened fire. The young Congress leader, despite prohibitory orders, had managed to sneak into the affected villages. He later, controversially, had spoken about alleged police atrocities.
The state government has transferred the district collector Krishna Kunal and Superintendent of Police Inglaj Dan. A judicial inquiry by a retired high court judge has also been ordered.