Controversy Erupts in Bihar's Karimganj after Police Cremate Muslim Youth, Officers Suspended

A public outcry followed the cremation of a Muslim youth in Bihar, leading to significant public outcry and police suspensions. The youth, identified as Shahabuddin from Karimganj, died in a road accident on September 27 in the Paraiya police station area.

After the accident, police sent Shahabuddin’s body to Magadh Medical Hospital for a post-mortem. However, when the body went unclaimed, it was cremated without proper identification. Notably, it took eight days for the victim’s family to discover the fate of their loved one, raising serious questions about police procedures.

In light of the public backlash, IG Chhatraneel Singh of the Magadh region suspended Paraiya police station in-charge Mukesh Kumar. This action followed the earlier suspensions of Sub-Inspector Krishna Kumar Gupta and local watchman Shyam Sundar Paswan for their negligence in work.

The SSP recommended further departmental action against Mukesh Kumar and has demanded clarifications from all involved. Additionally, a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Tekari SDPO Sushil Kumar Chanchal, has been formed to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. A proposal for legal compensation related to the accident is also being sent to district headquarters.

The incident began on September 27, when Mohammad Saheb, son of Mohammad Ghulam Haider, was involved in the fatal accident near Koshdihra village. Despite the presence of a scooty and a mobile phone at the scene, police failed to identify the deceased before sending the body as unclaimed.

Allegations state that the body was cremated 72 hours later through a local watchman, without making any efforts to identify it using the mobile number or vehicle registration.

When the family eventually visited the police station to inquire, they were met with indifference and informed that the body had already been cremated. This has sparked anger and frustration among family members, who feel that proper investigation and respect for the deceased were severely lacking.

The family of the deceased also planned to hold a candlelight march with thousands of participants from Karimganj on Sunday. Upon learning this, officials including Tekari SDPO and Gaya SDO rushed to the victim’s home to assure the family that action would be taken against the negligent police officers.