Soren: Trapped

Jamtara, July 18: The dying declaration of Lakhindra Soren, a Chirudih victim, was responsible for Union coal minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Sibu Soren being named the “prime accused” in the massacre where 10 people were killed and an equal number of houses torched on January 23, 1975.

Lakhindra, who succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital in Jamtara, was a co-accused along with Soren and 67 others. The fact that the declaration was given in the presence of judicial magistrate Laxman Oraon (now a high court judge) made matters worse for Soren.

Though the FIR by magistrate, armed police, Jamtara I.C. Mishra put Soren fourth in the list of the 69 accused persons the dying declaration indicated Soren as being the “main perpetrator”. The declarationis the only evidence that could create legal complications the tribal leader.

“I had gone to attend the meeting at Bankadih. Even before I could reach there, at 3 pm I came to know that Muslims had set Takhi village on fire,” the declaration said.

“Meeting ka jagah se sab aadmi daurkar gaon gaya. Mian log wahan se bhag gaye aur Chirudih aaye. Chirudih ke paas ek maidan hai, wahan par Sibu Soren ka admi jama ho gaya. Sibu Soren kaha ki ‘dekho hum log meeting karne aaye hain. Mian log sab santhal ka ghar mein aag lagata hai. Pehle mian log ko maarlo.’ Jangal mein dugdugiya bajne laga. (Those who were present at the meeting rushed to the village. The Muslims fled to Chirudih. There is a field near Chirudih where Sibu Soren’s people had already assembled. Soren said we came here to hold a meeting and the Muslims have set fire to Santhal homes.