‘Real killers’ of Bihar dalits still at large, says Justice Das

A retired judge of Patna High Court who investigated the nexus between Ranvir Sena, a private militia of upper caste Bhumihar landlords, and politicians has said the “real killers” of Laxamanpur-Bathe massacre were still at large.

“All the persons convicted and sentenced are foot soldiers. The leaders, conspirators and masterminds of this massacre are still at large”, said Justice Amir Das who headed a judicial commission to probe the nexus between Sena and the politicians.

The judicial commission formed to probe the link between the politicians and the Sena shortly after the massacre was disbanded by the ruling NDA government in Bihar before it could submit its report.

Sena was responsible for the killing 58 innocent Dalit villagers of Laxmanpur-Bathe in Bihar’s Jehanabad district on December 1, 1997.

On Wednesday, a local court in Bihar had awarded death sentence to 16 persons and life term to 10 others for slaughtering the Dalit villagers of Laxmanpur-Bathe.