Arrests Based on WhatsApp Chats Draw Criticism From Families, BJM Pledges Support for Justice
JAMSHEDPUR – A delegation from the Bharatiya Janantra Morcha (BJM), led by the party’s Jamshedpur West Convenor Mukul Mishra, met with the families of three youths arrested for social media posts in the Kadma Shastri Nagar violence case.
The youths, from Dhatkidih Harijan Basti Thakkar Baba Club, were allegedly arrested and jailed based on WhatsApp messages exchanged between them.
The arrestees were identified as S Mukhi, R Mukhi, and A Mukhi.
The families of the arrested youths told the BJM delgation that they pleaded with the district administration, stating that their children were underage and should be forgiven for their mistake.
They said that the families even promised that such an error would not be repeated in the future.
However, they added, despite assurances from the police that the youths would be released after questioning, they were instead jailed the following morning.
They told the BJM delegation that the Mukhi community, relatives of the arrested youths, and residents of the area met with senior officials in an attempt to secure the release of the detainees, but their appeals were ignored.
The BJM delegation leader Mukul Mishra said that the residents have lost faith in the police due to the way the boys were arrested and the subsequent lack of transparency.
He said that the three arrested youths come from impoverished families, and their detention has put additional strain on their relatives.
He said that R Mukhi’s father is deceased, and the mothers of all three are distraught over their children’s arrests.
The BJM leader Mukul Mishra pledged to present the facts of the case before MLA Saryu Rai and provide all possible assistance in obtaining justice for the arrested youths.
The delegation included Mukul Mishra, Ajay Sinha, Bhaskar Mukhi, Mankeshwar Choubey, and the President of Bishtupur Mandal.
