Arrested SDM suspended over Balrampur assault death

Raipur: Faced with mounting pressure brought to bear by protesters, who sat on a protest with the mortal remains of a tribal villager, who was allegedly beaten to death over suspicions of illegal bauxite mining,Chhattisgarh govt on Wednesday suspended Karun Dahariya, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Balrampur's Kusmi, who is alleged to have led the assault. The action came two days after the officer was arrested and remanded to jail in connection with the incident.The order said Dahariya will remain attached to the Surguja divisional commissioner's office in Ambikapur during the suspension period.The suspension followed the incident on the intervening night of Feb 15 and 16 in Hanspur village of Kusmi block, when Dahariya and three civilians accompanying him allegedly intercepted three villagers returning from their fields and assaulted them on suspicion of illegal bauxite mining. The victims — Ram Naresh Ram (60/62), Ajit Oraon (60) and Akash Agariya (20) — were taken to the Kusmi community health centre. However, Ram Naresh later succumbed to his injuries during treatment.Based on statements of the injured survivors, police registered a case at Rajpur police station against Dahariya and three associates. The case also triggered massive political and community mobilisation in Kusmi.According to local sources, the victim's body was handed over late on Tuesday, after a daylong protest by the Sarv Adivasi Samaj and the Congress. The cremation was conducted the same night, as the body had begun decomposing, they said. Two other assault victims continue to undergo treatment at the Kusmi health facility.