As the government appointed probe team reaches at crucial stage ofinvestigation, sources informed that the team is focussing on the landdeal that is suspected to be the reason behind gruesome killings.
“During investigation we found that rumours on child lifting was usedan alibi to lynch the youths at both the places by vested interestgroups with some ulterior motives bent on disturbing peace of thesociety. We have recorded statements of victims and residents at the affected area and also collected civil administration and policeofficial statements on both the incidents,” said Kolhan commissionerPradeep Kumar who head the two member probe team (other member is DIGKolhan Prabhat Kumar).
Sources informed that details have been sought from district landrevenue unit on land transfers that have taken place in the Nagadihand nearby villages and the proportion of CNT land and CNT-free landavailable in the area.
Three youths Vikash Verma, Gautam Verma (both brothers) and their
friend Gangesh Gupta were lynched by the Nagadih villagers on May 18night while an elderly lady Ramsati Devi (grandmother of Vikash andGautam) was grievously injured by the mob suspecting them to bechild-lifters.
The team visited Nagadih in Bagbera where three youths were lynched onsuspicion of child lifter. After speaking to villagers and visitingthe site of the lynching the team left for Ramketri Road in Jugsalaiand spoke with the Uttam Verma, who managed to escape from thelynching site (while two of his brothers Vikas and Gautam werelynched).
Pradeep Kumar said that the statements of all persons would beverified with the details provided by the administration before comingto any conclusion.The focus of the team is on land trade. Sources informed that Illegalland trade and its misuse for monetary gains is fast emerging as an
organised crime in the city with certain dominant persons allegedly involved in it.Despite claims by the authorities, larger parts in the city are still under control of several unscrupulous persons.