BKU protests farmer’s arrest in Dalit man’s suicide case

Bijnor: The arrest of a farmer in connection with the alleged suicide of a Dalit man over a land dispute sparked tension in Allopur village of Najibabad tehsil on Monday, with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Arajnaitik) holding a mahapanchayat demanding his release.The union sought the release of Rupendra Singh, claiming the case against him was one-sided. It also blamed revenue officials for failing to resolve the ancestral land dispute in time. BKU (Arajnaitik) youth state president Digambar Singh alleged that attempts were being made to encroach upon the ancestral property and said repeated representations to the revenue department had gone unheeded. Digambar Singh also accused Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad of instigating Amar Singh (58) to commit suicide.Tehsildar Santosh Yadav attended the mahapanchayat and assured the farmers that their grievances would be examined, following which the gathering ended peacefully.With Dalit organisations also announcing protests, police intensified security to prevent caste-related unrest. On Sunday, national president of Bahujan Panther of India, Arun Kumar Roni, was arrested over alleged caste-related social media posts linked to the case.

A case was registered against him under preventive provisions, after which he was produced before the SDM court and sent to jail. Police later dispersed the protesting Bhim Army members and other groups outside the district collectorate.Amar Singh allegedly died by suicide on April 3 after a prolonged dispute with neighbours over land. His family’s FIR accused several people of assault, intimidation and caste-based abuse. Three alleged suicide notes recovered from his person named nine persons, including one Rupendra Singh, following which Kiratpur police registered a case and initiated legal action.