Saidpur inmates protest police 'atrocities'

Patna: The inmates of Saidpur hostels took out a protest march and staged a dharna at Kargil Chowk on Sunday against police raid on their hostel premises Saturday night. Two students fell from the third floor of the hostel building during the police raid.
The protesting students alleged that the policemen themselves planted the live bombs which they claim to have recovered from the hostel premises.
The injured students, Mukesh Kumar and Bajrangi, were inmates of hostel number 1 and students of B N College. They are undergoing treatment at the PMCH. Mukesh has got multiple fractures and his condition is stated to be critical.
Sriram, an ABVP supporter which has backed the Saidpur hostel inmates, said, "We demand fair police investigation. Three days back, four Saidpur hostel inmates, who went to Darbhanga House, were beaten up badly by the Minto hostel boarders. They have lodged an FIR with Pirbahore police station against one Valmiki and others but the police did not take any action. Instead, police conducted raid on the Saidpur hostel. We cannot comment on the bombs found from the hostel premise but the incident in which two students fell down from the terrace definitely needs thorough investigation."
Alok Kumar, another Saidpur hostel inmate, said, "Police did not take action against the Minto hostel boarders who had beaten up our friends, but conducted raid on our hostel. The two students were hiding inside a water tank on the terrace fearing police torture. But a police team went up to the terrace and we do not have clear idea why they jumped off the terrace. The bombs which police claim to be found from our hostel is just a story."
Another student of the Saidpur hostel said, "It is not the first time that we are facing police atrocities. To give a clean chit to the raid, the police planted a story that we had bombs. They also made the upper caste students their target for torture."
However, refuting to the allegations, Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj said, "The bombs were found from the hostel only. We had a tip-off that some illegal occupants were planning to do something unlawful. The two students falling from the terrace is unfortunate, but no policeman pushed them from there."
Last year, following the Patna high court order, Saidpur hostel was vacated from illegal occupants.