Free from jail, this youth now wants to become a cop

LOHARDAGA: A 26-year-old resident of Nava Toli village in Lohardaga Ramkeshwar Lohra alias Chhotu Lohara, who spent about four months in jail in a case of mistaken identity, is not satisfied over the suspension of the guilty investigating officer (IO), Rajkapoor, then posted in Sadar Police Station here and now the officer in-charge of Bariyatu PS in Ranchi.
Lohra was sent to jail on July 21, 2009. Police had sent him to jail in a motorcycle loot case lodged with the Sadar PS case number 138/07.
The actual accused was Chhotu Oraon, who co-incidentally lived near Lohra but in Rud village under Chandwa police station in Latehar district. The cops came to know of the mistaken identity when the actual accused was caught.
SP Subodh Prasad admitted the mistake and prayed to the court sending CR for Lohra's acquittal after the case was supervised by SDPO Ram Ghulam Sharma, who found Lohra innocent. "He was released at our request through CR no 1199 to the Court that freed him on December 2, 2009," said the SP.
Recently, the matter was raised in a session of assembly by ML MLA Vinod Kumar Singh. At this, minister Hemlal Murmu announced the suspension of the guilty IO, Rajkapoor, who is now the officer in-charge of Bariyatu PS. The Minister also announced a sum of Rs 1 lakh as compensation to Chhotu Lohra.
The announcement brought no cheer to the family as they are not satisfied with the action taken. Chhotu's paralytic father Shivdayal Lohra and mother Raudain Devi with tears in their eyes said they had to face lots of mental and financial stress.
While the arresting damaged their social respect in the village and nearby areas, the bid to get their son released put them in heavy debt. "We had to sell our cattle and take a heavy amount as loan and even mortgaged our land," they said adding they had also taken Rs 5,000 at an interest rate of Rs 10 per week.
Lohra's wife Paro, too is not satisfied with the amount the government announced as compensation.
She said she had to spent heavy amount right from moving to the district to high court to get her husband freed. Guilty cop should be behind the bar, she said. "The police officer, who did not listen to us while arresting must be jailed at least for the same period that my husband spent in jail due to his mistake," said Paro.
Chhotu now wants a job in the police as compensation.
"If the minister really wishes to do justice he should give me a job in police," he said.
On asking why he wants a job in police he said he wants to bring back the respect of his family that they lost.
"People still doubt me. Even my in-laws are not ready to believe me. So it is now necessary for me to get into the police force to prove that the police were guilty," aid Chhotu.