Two days after the supporters of various political and social outfits resorted to violence to ensure bandh for a domicile policy in the State, the district police have failed to take action and put them behind bars.
The police have also apparently spared the leaders of around a dozen outfits, who led the violent agitation, much against the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court.
The organisations which had given the bandh call included Jharkhand Dishom Party, Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch, Adivasi Chatra Sangh, Adivasi Jan Parishad, Adivasi-Moolwasi Chatra Morcha and Adivasi Moolwasi Janadhikar Manch. Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch MlA Bandhu Tirkey is even extending support to the Hemant Government.
As many as 122 protesters based on the video footage, photographs as well as personal identification were booked yesterday but not a single leader of any political outfit has been named in the FIR. Though, they were quite visible on the Television screens on Saturday.
"FIRs have been registered at different police stations against those protesters against whom evidences were found during the bandh. Whoever is identified during the investigation, will also be booked by us," said SSP Bheemsen Tuti.
When asked about the top leaders who were found leading the mob ransacking the streets during the bandh, Tuti said without evidences we cannot take action against anybody. "As soon as evidences are found against any leader, he will also be booked under the provisions of law," he added.
Significantly, Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, one of the victims of the violence caused during the bandh showed some guts to lodge a named FIR against the protesters who caused damage of at least Rs 2500 by ransacking his motorbike.
Tiwari however, is not very hopeful of any result coming out of it as everything is politicized and seemed that the protesters had full support of police for the act. "Ultimately nothing will come out as they are all same on the top level," rued Tiwari, a lawyer.
Thousands of bandh supporters armed with lathis were out on roads on Saturday to enforce the bandh.
They not only thrashed a large number of people, but also damaged hundreds of vehicles and shops.
Incidentally, the Jharkhand High Court had declared bandh 'unconstitutional' way back on December 3, 2003 and also ruled that any loss of public property or production during general strikes should be made good from the assets of the organisation or the party concerned and its office-bearers.
In fact, a sharp and strong reaction from Jharkhand High Court had forced the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha to withdraw a bandh call on December 6, 2006 in Jharkhand, Orissa and Bengal as a protest against the alleged "NDA conspiracy" in getting party chief Shibu Soren convicted for murder.
Again on February 18, 2011, the Supreme Court had observed that those affected by bandhs called by political parties can move the nearest high court to claim damages.
According to the Apex Court, the grounds on which bandh damages can be claimed included destruction of public property, damage to private property, injury and death and cost of law enforcement and other preventive measures.