Slain Dalit man’s sister's death in MP: Digvijaya Singh demands removal of Sagar collector, SP

Sagar (MP): Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Monday demanded the removal of the collector and superintendent of police of Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district after the sister of a slain Dalit youth died under mysterious circumstances.

Singh reached the Barodia Nonagir village to meet the family members of Anjana Ahirwar who died on Sunday after falling from an ambulance carrying her uncle’s body.

“The administration promised to give Anjana a government job, did they give her one? They made some other promises too like demolishing houses (of the accused), did they demolish? ...I am not in favour of bulldozing someone's house, but you demolish many persons’ houses in the name of action,” he said.

Singh spoke to reporters sitting next to Anjana’s body and later took part in her funeral.

Anjana's uncle Rajendra Ahirwar was beaten to death on May 25 by some persons over an old enmity, police sources said. Anjana had alleged that her brother Nitin Ahirwar, alias Lalu, was killed in August last year by some people who used to harass her.

Anjana died on Sunday after she fell from an ambulance carrying her uncle's body in Sagar.

Singh demanded the removal of the entire district administration, including the collector and superintendent of police (SP), over the incident.

The woman’s family members told Singh that the security provided to them was removed by the administration and even cameras installed in their area were taken away.

“Anjana was an educated woman and was taking care of the family. She is no more today and I am very disappointed,” Singh said.

The Congress leader claimed police security was removed 10 days before the present incident. A lot of pressure was exerted on them to change their statements, he said.

“There were three witnesses to the murder of Lalu..one Rajendra, another one was Anjana and third her mother. Rajendra was killed because he did not come under pressure. And Anjana died,” Singh said.

Anjana had complained to the police a few days back about mounting pressure to change their statement but cops did not act on it, he alleged.

“Since the beginning, Anjana had maintained that one Ankit Thakur was involved in the incident, but he was not arrested as he is a muscleman and has been given shelter politically,” Singh claimed.

Rajendra Ahirwar (24) died of injuries he had sustained in a clash between two groups under Khurai police station limits, Additional Superintendent of Police Lokesh Sinha earlier told reporters.

“Anjana fell from the ambulance carrying the body of Rajendra Ahirwar to their village after the postmortem in Sagar. Their family members were accompanying the body,” said Sinha.

When asked if Rajendra Ahirwar was killed due to pressure for compromise in the old case, Sinha said all facts would come out during the investigation.

Nitin Ahirwar was allegedly beaten to death by a group of people over an old enmity in Sagar district last August.

Following his death, Anjana Ahirwar lodged an FIR alleging her brother was murdered as some persons were pressuring her for a compromise in the harassment case.