Fresh probe into deaf and dumb youth's death

Jharkhand government on Monday announced a fresh probe into the death of a deaf and dumb youth, whose body was recently exhumed for post-mortem following allegations that he died in police firing during an anti-naxal operation in Latehar district on January 31.

"Deputy Inspector General of Police (Palamau Range) will probe the incident," Jharkhand's HRD Minister Baijnath Ram announced in the state assembly.

The announcement came after CPI (ML-Liberation) MLA Vinod Kumar Singh raised the issue during Question Hour.

Alleging that the youth Lukas Minz had been killed on January 31 during a joint anti-naxal operation in Latehar and Lohardaga and his post-mortem report suggested the deaf and dumb youth had suffered bullet wounds.

Singh demanded a CBI probe or a judicial probe into the incident as the ongoing police investigation was being conducted by an officer junior to superintendents of police of Lohardaga and Latehar districts, who had led the operation.

Singh said he wants a fair investigation into the case as top police officials may be involved.

He wondered whether it could be a neutral probe, prompting the minister to announce the probe by the DIG-ranked officer.