MLAs fail to raise the issue in Assembly

MLAs of R S Pura and Domana constituencies have yet not raised the issues of killings of youth of their respective segments in police firing a few years back. Rakesh Kumar alias Giri of ward No 4, R S Pura, was killed by police in an alleged fake encounter near Marble Market at Greater Kailash in the periphery of posh Trikuta Nagar (extension) locality on November 21, 2010. BJP leader and R S Pura MLA, Dr Gagan Bhagat had on July 7, 2016 showed his concern over the incident. 'He belonged to my constituency of R S Pura. And, being local MLA, I am supposed to fight for the rights of my people and their genuine problems' he was quoted to have said by a newspaper. When asked by the newspaper if he would take up the Giri's issue with the government for a probe into it, he had replied in the affirmative. It may be mentioned here that after the killing of another youth, suspected to be a drug peddler, in police firing at Domana, local MLA and health minister Bali Bhagat was quick to take up the matter with the state police chief. While Dr Gagan didn't take up the matter with the DGP, he had then claimed to have already spoken to the SSP concerned in this context. Giri's family members and some locals had also called on the R S Pura MLA, asking him to speak to the authorities concerned and get the matter probed so that justice was done in the case.

They had accused police of doing nothing to probe into his killing. Instead of verbally bringing the matter to the MLA's notice, the family should have submitted him a written account of the incident. It was mandatory on their part to mention in their letter all the facts of the case so that their representation was not rejected at the primary level of the investigation. The MLA also claimed to have visited Giri's residence during his public meeting in his locality. He had said if Giri was actually killed by police in a fake encounter, as alleged by his family, he would personally take up the matter with deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh for a probe by an independent agency. He had assured that in such a situation, he would also raise the issue in the legislative assembly. Giri and his associates -- Yudhvir Singh alias Babloo of Agra Chak, R S Pura, and Sumit Choudhary alias Sunny Baba of Nai Basti – were alleged to have been hired by Nagar Singh alias Nago to eliminate witnesses in the Amandeep Singh murder case.

The witnesses had gone to attend the marriage function of their relative in a banquet hall near Marble Market. While police, who were tracking their mobile phone numbers, had killed Giri in the alleged encounter, Yudhvir had survived with bullet wounds. Baba, who was said to have escaped from the spot, was later arrested by police. Giri's family members have been agitating ever since his death, demanding at least a probe into the incident. One fails to understand what stops police from not holding a probe into the incident. This strengthens the family claim that there has been something fishy in Giri's death.