Chintu Kumar, 17, was set on fire Sunday afternoon in Garobigha village under Narhat police station, 150 km from here, a police officer said on condition of anonymity. The nine accused include the five allegedly involved in his mother's rape.

"Chintu was expected to appear in court in connection with the rape case," the officer said.

According to villagers, the accused forcibly entered Chintu's house in the afternoon and set him on fire.

The accused are absconding, said the officer.

Chintu's mother Taruna Devi, who was gangraped in 2006 by five men of her village, told IANS over telephone that her only son had been threatened to withdraw the case and not appear as a witness in court.

"The accused repeatedly threatened to burn him alive and finally they did it. Where is the rule of law in Bihar? There is no place for the poor seeking justice," she said.

Taruna Devi said the rape accused were powerful men with muscle and money power.

"I was told I would be taught a hard lesson if the case against them was not withdrawn. They also told me time and again to shell out Rs.1 crore to police and officials, including the judge. After all, they are rich people, we are poor and weak," she said.

Ironically, top district officials are reluctant to talk about this shocking incident. Even those at the police headquarters here say they can say something only after receiving reports from district officials.

However, the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal, Lok Janshakti Party, Congress and Left parties have condemned the incident and blamed the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

"The latest incident has again exposed a total collapse of law and order. Poor people have been targeted by the powerful in Bihar. We will protest against it," leader of opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui said.

Opposition leaders are likely to visit the village to meet the victim's mother and inquire into the case soon.

Comment

comments...

The incident happened in 2006 and we are in 2012 now and the fact that the case still lingers on when there was a eye witness speaks volume of the criminal justice system. Justice delayed is justice denied they say but in this case the “justice delayed” took away the life of the witness. It is a crying shame for Bihar government, who lately have become increasingly tolerant and indifferent to the rising crimes in the state. Why the state machinery could not offer protection to this 17 year old key witness? Our politicians, supposed to be public servants, move with a posse of police security, mostly as a status booster and this poor boy with a known threat to his life was left to be killed, WHY? Strong action is called for against the concerned police officials responsible for the local law and order there. I believe such brazen acts of crime is unlikely to happen without their complicity. If accountability is not fixed and guilty not brought to justice immediately, such acts will be repeated again and at a higher frequency. Media should persistently follow such cases till justice is delivered. Sadly, this news will fade away in a week’s time as the victim comes from a poor family from the remotest possible location. When I read news like these, all the tall claims of progress made by the government appears completely meaningless.

I guess this case will neither figure in the discussion on national television nor will it initiate any kind of candle marches. At least, spare a tear my dear friends for the lost soul and for a mother whose 17 year old son was burnt alive. If you do not, don’t expect others to do the same when a thing like this happens to you or your dear friends. I hate to be a naysayer but the abject indifference to the plight of fellow countrymen will bring a downfall of our deeply fragmented society, sooner than later.

Siddharth Kumar

S/O Late A K Singh, IPS ( R )

Bahrain.