The bail granted to Mohammad Shahabuddin 每 former MP from Siwan 每 is like ※death sentence§ for 70-year-old Chandrakeshwar Prasad aka Chanda Babu and his ailing wife Kalawati Devi, who reside in a small squalid in Siwan 每 barely 5 km away from Pratappur, the village of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) muscles man.
But does the elderly couple think so??
Their three among four young sons were brutally murdered allegedly by henchmen of the undisputed lord of Siwan's underworld. Their two sons 每 Girish Raj (20) and Satish Raj (25) 每 were drenched in acid before being killed at Pratappur, about 7 km southwest of Siwan district headquarters town and 150 km northwest of Patna, on August 16, 2004.
Indiatimes
Their third son Rajeev Raushan, who was the only eyewitness in the double-murder case, was later murdered in Siwan on June 16, 2014. In his statement before the court, he had said that he had seen Shahabuddin on the spot when his brothers were bathed with acid before being killed.?
Taking to Indiatimes, Chanda Babu recalled what happened that fateful day.?Here's what he said:
I had two shops 每 one grocery and the other a departmental store 每 on Goshala Road in Siwan town. We were not rich but the income from the two shops was enough to make ends meet. I was the father of six 每 four sons and two daughters. On August 16, 2004, I was in Patna for work and staying with my brother who was an officer with Reserve Bank of India posted in the city.
The two shops were opened with Satish taking care of the grocery shop and Girish dealing with customers at the departmental store. Before leaving for Patna, I had got a ransom demand of Rs 2 lakh.
A truck loaded with Dalda had just arrived and we had Rs 2.5 lakh in cash to make the payment. The henchmen of the don-turned-politician reached my grocery shop and asked for the ransom money demanded earlier. Satish offered them Rs 30,000-40,000 pleading that we do not have Rs 2 lakh to pay them.
The armed criminals picked up a quarrel with my son and looted Rs 2.5 lakh.?
Rajiv suddenly reached the shop. Witnessing that his brother is being mercilessly thrashed, he took a bottle of diluted acid kept in an adjoining bathroom and threatened to throw it on the goons. Girish was unaware of the entire incident.
The Hindu
The criminals fled the spot returned with several others. They looted our shops, set them on fire, picked up Satish, Girish and Rajeev and took them to the don's native village Pratappur.?
Rajeev was separated from his two brothers and held captive in a sugarcane field. Satish and Girish were brutally tortured. Rajeev heard Shahabuddin saying that since Girish had threatened to pour acid at his men, he should learn how acid hurts human beings.?
His men then bathed Girish and Satish with acid and then hacked them to death. Rajeev somehow managed to escape from their custody after two days.
I got an anonymous call and the caller informed me that my two sons have been killed and the third is in their custody. I was asked not to dare enter Siwan. I was helpless and decided to stay in Patna.
I got another call the day Rajeev escaped and the caller gave false information that Rajeev has met an accident and is admitted in PMCH (Patna Medical College & Hospital). I was asked to come over there. In fact, it was a conspiracy to eliminate me.
I went to Siwan after few days and tried to meet the then superintendent of police (SP) but I was not allowed to do so. I met then Station House Officer (SHO) of the police station concerned. To my utter surprise, he too suggested me to leave the town instead of helping me and proving security to our family.
Already terrified, I felt helpless. I could not go to see my wife and a physically challenged son as to how they are living. I had no information about my son as to whether he is alive or dead.
I came back to Patna and managed to meet netaji (RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav) at his residence in the state capital. When I apprised him of my sufferings, he lost cool and told me why I came to meet him with a complaint from Siwan.
I then moved to Delhi to meet Sonia ji (Congress President Sonia Gandhi). Although she could not meet, Rahul ji (Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi) gave me time. He assured me of strong action against the culprits.
The assurance was like a ray of light for me in my lone battle. After returning from Delhi, I gathered courage to go to Siwan again. I wanted to hand over a letter to the SP and therefore, asked some of my neighbours to accompany me but all of them refused fearing Shahabuddin＊s terror.
I went to the SP＊s residence in the wee hours with my face covered. Finally, the SP met me but he was also of no help. I gave him my letter and urged him to provide us security which he refused. He too suggested me to leave the town as it was not safe for me.?
I was extremely disappointed and this disappointment gave me courage to fight back and face all the hurdles that come in the way. I decided to stay in Siwan.
I met an angel in the form of the then DIG who directed the SP to provide us security. He told the SP if the district administration does not have additional policemen, he would give some jawans from Bihar Military Police (BMP) to ensure our security.?
One day, Rajeev returned home safely. I don＊t have words to describe the moment when we saw him alive. Later we got him married.?
But destiny had something else stored for us. Eighteen days after his marriage, he was shot dead on June 16, 2014 when returning from court after testifying. (Shahabuddin is named as a conspirator in Rajeev＊s murder case, for which the trial is going on).?
This is how Shahabuddin destroyed our lives and a happy family. I am not the lone survivor, there are several others who have lost their loved ones for refusing to dance on his tune.