Will there be any justice for Bhetku?

Bhetku Singh, the lone wage earner for his impoverished family was found dead under mysterious situation in the residence of Mohammed Imul on July 4, 2013. Both happen to be residents of the same village: Katna, P.S. Karandighi, P.O. Madargachi, Distirct: Dinajpur (North) and Behtku like his father Haladhar Singh worked both as a cultivator and manual laborer. Known as submissive and helpful to others, Bhetku was found hanging from ceiling in Mohammed Imul’s residence. The incident has not only stunned the whole village but has brought forth a few questions as well. The first of these happens to be his purpose at the residence of Imul, local contractor.  

It is known to all in Katna that Bhetku went to New Delhi recently with Imul as laborer and after spending a few months there, he came back to the village. But the relation between them had soured by then.  Village sources reveal that a rupture took place between the two; Imul had to pay Bhetku a good amount of money still for the job in Delhi but was buying time only. Bhetku used to visit Imul’s home at regular intervals but used to return empty-handed always. None in the village knows what went wrong ultimately but Tapan Das (son of Binoy Das) residing in Madargachi was seen on the same day to take Bhetku to the residence of Mohammed Imul. Tapan left once they reached Imul’s house but as per him, Hussain Ali, Mohammed Zamul, Mohammed Skeikh Shadim were already present there. All in the village are confident that Imul and his associates were solely responsible to strangulate innocent Bhetku and hang him from the ceiling later on.

Even if the family members of slain Bhetku along with villagers are sure of this tragic development, they can’t do anything else owing to their extreme poverty. Wife of Bhektu went to the local police station along with her father-in-law Haladhar Singh to lodge a complaint. But they were just banished from there. Allegedly police told them that they had hardly any time to deal with such insignificant issues during Panchayat election. Despondent family members of Bhetku are wiping away tears now. It has been learnt, no official complaint in this regard has been lodged to the local police station yet. Perhaps Indian democracy has no time for Bhetku, deprived man representing underprivileged people only.