Neeraj Chaudhary, Nitesh Tiwari Call Case Against Them False
Key Points:
- FIR lodged against 10, including ABVP leaders, over August 21 clash in Giridih
- Neeraj Chaudhary, Nitesh Tiwari deny presence, claim they were on Bol Bam yatra
- JMM’s Dilip Murmu had filed complaint over halted effigy burning of Hemant Soren
GIRIDIH – A political controversy has deepened in Giridih following a police complaint linked to violence over the burning of an effigy of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The incident had taken place on August 21, when a scuffle broke out after the effigy burning was allegedly stopped.
An FIR was registered at the town police station against ABVP’s district coordinator Neeraj Chaudhary, Nitesh Tiwari and eight others. The complaint was filed by Dilip Murmu, a JMM member active in the area.
However, following the registration of the FIR, both Chaudhary and Tiwari released a video from the ABVP side rejecting the allegations levelled against them. They said a false and forced case had been filed against them without basis.
They claimed that at the time of the alleged incident on August 21, they were both taking part in the Bol Bam yatra and were not present at the spot. Moreover, they argued that this made their involvement in the clash impossible.
The ABVP leaders further alleged that it was people linked to the JMM who had assaulted their party workers during the effigy-burning programme. Despite this, they said, an FIR had instead been lodged against them.
They have now demanded a fair and impartial investigation into the entire episode. On the other hand, the police have begun examining the case following the FIR lodged on JMM’s complaint.
The investigation is expected to determine who exactly was present at the scene during the incident and establish the actual role each side played in the scuffle. Officers said further clarity would emerge only after the probe is completed.
Hemant Soren-related political flashpoints have periodically surfaced in Jharkhand, with student and youth wings of rival parties frequently clashing over symbolic protests such as effigy burnings. Giridih and other districts in the state have in the past witnessed similar face-offs between JMM-affiliated groups and opposition student organisations during politically sensitive periods, often followed by counter-complaints and cross-FIRs from both sides, alongside broader friction involving AJSU’s agitation plans, Kudmi leaders’ demands and opposition protests in Ranchi.
