SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Feb 27: Rattled by alleged torture of BJP Baghmara MLA Dhulu Mahto eight families of his constituency sat on indefinite hunger strike at Randhir Verma Chowk near Court More on Tuesday.
Victims’ families alleged that the MLA has disconnected power, water connections and covered up their shops near Chitahidham Ramraj Temple in Baghmbara block around 38 km away from district headquarters to grab their land.
“Since the temple is the personal property of the MLA, he does not allow other persons to run shops near it (temple) and sell Prasad (sweets) to devotees,” alleged victims’ families.
They alleged that Dhulu Mahto has been pressuring them to hand over the land to him since 2020.
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On January 25 the MLA disconnected the power and water connections of their shops and houses. They wrote to the chief minister, Human Rights Commission, deputy commissioner, senior superintendent of police and SDM. All gave only assurance to act against the MLA but have taken no action so far.
“So, they have left no option but to sit on indefinite fast in Dhanbad,” said Suresh Mahto and Sunita Kumari, the members of two victim families.
The victim families had staged a day-long Satyagraha at Gandhi Seva Sadan last week and the district administration had assured to get mapping of their land near Chitahi Dham Temple of Baghmara block.
Dhulu Mahto could not comment as he is attending an Assembly session in Ranchi; his brother and Chitahi Dham Temple Trust member Shatrughan Mahto told the media that the allegation is baseless. The land near the temple does not belong to them, and he requests that the district administration conduct the probe.
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