Congress holds protest in Doon demanding CBI probe in farmer’s suicide

Dehradun: Congress held a protest in Dehradun on Friday over the suicide of a 40-year-old farmer from Kashipur who had blamed the police for "mental harassment and inaction" before shooting himself in the head. Led by state Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal and Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya, party workers took out a procession from their state office on Rajpur Road and gheraoed the police headquarters, demanding a CBI inquiry into the farmer's death.The protesters also met DGP Deepam Seth and submitted a memorandum seeking a CBI probe. Other demands included the immediate removal of Udham Singh Nagar SSP Manikant Mishra, registration of a case against him, and the arrest of all accused.Godiyal said, "The law and order situation in the state has been deteriorating for a long time, and the farmer's suicide in Kashipur is a clear example. A farmer was forced to take his life due to harassment by the police administration and arrogance of power, destroying an entire family."Arya said the farmer had clearly named SSP Mishra in a video made before his death, in which he alleged that the officer's support for land mafias led him to take his life. He added that it was a matter of concern that the officer had not been removed, and that "the same SSP accused of forcing the farmer to commit suicide formed an SIT to investigate the case." Former chief minister Harish Rawat said the Congress "will not remain silent until justice is done to the farmer's family."The farmer's family had alleged that police ignored repeated complaints after he was "cheated of around Rs 4 crore in a land deal." In a Facebook Live video, the farmer had said he had "lost faith in the justice system as false cases were being used to pressure him into a compromise."Two police personnel, including a station house officer (SHO), were suspended, while 10 policemen and another 10 personnel posted at the Paiga outpost under ITI were sent to Police Lines in Rudrapur following the incident. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami had also ordered a magisterial inquiry by Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat, and an SIT has been constituted to probe the case.Despite the action, Congress has been demanding the suspension of SSP Manikant Mishra, asserting that the matter cannot be buried by penalising only junior officials.