Sitamarhi, June 2: A fast-track court in Sitamarhi convicted 15 people, including an MLA, on Tuesday for leading violent protests against the administration for alleged irregularities in flood relief work in August 1998.
Former Sitamarhi MLA Ram Charitra Rai had led a protest by residents to the district collectorate on August 11, 1998. The protests later turned violent and police had to resort to baton charge and firing in which five persons were killed.
The court would pronounce the quantum of punishment on Thursday. It, however, acquitted 45 other accused for lack of evidence.
The fast-track court, headed by judicial magistrate (I) Mohammed Irshad Alam, found allegations against sitting BJP MLA Ram Naresh Yadav, former JDU MP from Sitamarhi Nawal Kishore Rai, former Sheohar RJD MP Anwarul Haque, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party district president Ram Lakhan Singh Kushwaha, former Sitamarhi RJD district president Manoj Kumar and senior Congress leader Mohammed Ashad among others to be true and convicted them.
They were found guilty under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 322 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 324 (voluntary causing hurt by dangerous weapon), 353 (assault or criminal force to prevent public servant from discharge of official duty), 147 (punishment for rioting) and 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapons) of the Indian Penal Code and were forwarded to the Sitamarhi divisional jail.
The leaders, cutting across party lines, had supported the demonstration led by former MLA Rai to the collectorate office in Dumra locality of Sitamarhi town, around 140km north of Patna. The protesters ransacked government buildings and pelted senior administrative and police officers with stones, causing grievous injuries to 24 public servants, including then district magistrate Ram Nandan Prasad, superintendent of police Paresh Saxena and deputy superintendent of police (Sadar) M.K. Lal.
The police resorted to baton charge and firing in which five persons were killed. A day after the public outcry, Rai died of cardiac arrest. That led to a fresh spell of protests in the town.
A case (No. 111/98) was lodged with Dumra police station on the statement of an administrative official, Devendra Kumar Verma. Sixty people were named accused while others were unknown.
Nawal Kishore Rai, who in August 1998, represented the Pupari Assembly seat, had petitioned the high court in 2011, requesting it to quash the FIR. The court on March 24 last year although rejected the plea and directed the government to ensure trial of the accused on a day-to-day basis. Sources said the high court had also directed to conclude the trial within nine months.
Sitamarhi public persecutor Arun Kumar on Tuesday said he would request the court to award maximum punishment to the convicts. While Section 307 (attempt to murder) calls for life term, Section 333 of the IPC prescribes for imprisonment up to 10 years.
