Jharkhand police inaction to investigate Adivasi hockey players death sparks protest

Simdega/Ranchi: Over hundreds of people hit the streets at Simdega district on Saturday, October 19, chanting slogans like – Justice has to be served to Shradhha and Sunandini, Stop atrocities against women, Arrest the criminals and wrong witness will not be allowed.

The protestors gathered at Simdega to raise voice against the lapses in police investigation in the death of two promising young hockey players of Adivasi origin.

The two young girls Shradhha Shalini Soreng (14 years) and Sunandini Bage (23 years), were found hanging dead from a tree in Arani village of Simdega district, on August 11. The deceased girls were staying with one person called Mary Purty in Rourkela, who had promised to coach them.

Shradhha’s father Rajesh Soreng addressed the gathering. He said, “Before starting the investigation, the police claimed that it was a suicide. The police kept telling us that they met the coach and had found that Shradhha was not a ‘nice’ girl. They had come to know that both the girls were in a homosexual relationship. And hence they were convinced that it was a suicide.”

Allegedly, the police investigating the case, verbally abused the family members several times regarding Shradhha’s “bad” behaviour. They kept telling him -“Aapki beti gandi-gandi kaam karti thi”, thereby hinting at the alleged same-sex relation that the deceased girls had allegedly developed.

Taramani Sahu of NFIW speaks during  the protest:

Sunandini’s mother also shared similar observations. The parents of both the girls, however maintained that they were not aware of any homosexual relationship that the duo allegedly shared. They also said that they were convinced that their daughters had not committed suicide but had been murdered and that they suspected the involvement of their coach in the double death mystery of the girls.

eNewsroom had done story on the same, highlighting how the incident is similar to the story of Article 15 movie. The director of the much acclaimed movie, Anubhav Sinha had also expressed deep shock over the  incident. However, all these did not make any difference to the Jharkhand police, who did not budge from their claim of the incident being a suicide.

Mukhiya of the Gram Panchayat, Martin Tete, where the girls were found hanging claimed that the police did not wait for any witness before taking the bodies down from the tree. He also said that the police did not conduct field investigation after the death. They did not even talk to people of that village.

A neighbour of Shradhha who had seen her grow up, said that the girl was a dedicated sportsman. Three days before the incident, Shradhha and her daughter had met. Shradhha was cheerful and had told that had gone to Rourkela to inquire into the case and had found that neighbours of the coach thought that she (the coach) was involved in sexual exploitation of the girls at her place.

Mukhiya of the Gram Panchayat, Martin Tete, where the girls were found hanging claimed that the police did not wait for any witness before taking the bodies down from the tree. He also said that the police did not conduct field investigation after the death. They did not even talk to people of that village.

Several other people of Shradhha’s and Sunandini’s village accused the police of threatening the victims’ family members and trying to falsely build a case of suicide.

Taramani Sahu of National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), who was part of a civil society factfinding team that inquired into the incident, addressed the dharna. She said, “The local police had threatened the family members and instructed them to not to talk to the civil society’s inquiry teams.” She also said, “There are several loose ends in the investigation done by the police. Just on the testimony of one girl Pushpa Lohar (14 years, also stays with the coach), the police developed a story of suicide driven by a homosexual relationship. However, according to eyewitnesses, near the site of incident, claim having seen the girls being followed by a bike and a car.”

Regina Xalxo, one of members of the inquiry team, said that the coach initially refused to talk to them when they went to her place. The coach was not able to tell the team about details about her coaching engagements.

James Herenj, of NREGA Watch, mentioned that Simdega police was trying to create a false story of suicide because if they declare it to be a murder, then questions will be raised on their own functioning.

At the end of the dharna, the protesters submitted a memorandum addressed to the governor and to the local administration.

Civil Society’s Demand:

• Form a Special Investigation Team to conduct fresh and through probe into the death, possibility of murder and inquire the allegations against the coach
•  Stop character assassination of the victims
•  Take action against the police officials responsible for the lapses in investigation, for building a false case of suicide and for character assassination of the victims.

The protest was organised by NFIW with several organisations such as Adivasi Women’s Network, Bagaicha, NHRO, NREGA Watch, NAPM and United Milli Forum (organisations associated with Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha).