Rajput leaders meet Kataria; govt agrees to SIT investigation

The state government exhibited little flexibility on Friday in the Anandpal encounter standoff after agreeing to set SIT to investigate the encounter during a meeting with the representatives of Rajput community.

The meeting took place at the residence of Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria but the Rajput community leaders remained stuck to their ground, insisting on a CBI inquiry. However, a second level of talks will be held after consultation between the community leaders and relatives of the deceased gangster about outcome of the meeting with the home minister. “Our demand is only CBI inquiry into the encounter as the family of the victim wants it. The second round of talks will be scheduled after holding talks with  his relatives. During the meeting, the government agreed to our demands to allow daughter  of Anandpal to go her village, repeal cases registered during the agitation, release land to his family which was attached by the government and release of Manjit Singh to attend cremation,” claimed Girraj Singh Lotwara, president of Shri Rajput Sabha.

Meanwhile, the government ministers who attended the meeting outrightly rejected the demand of a CBI inquiry. But they agreed to setting up of a SIT probe as they wanted the cremation to be done as soon as possible. “The meeting was held in a congenial atmosphere. We hope the standoff will end soon as the body of Anandpal has been lying for the past 14 days,” said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore, who held talks with the community leaders.

State BJP president Ashok Parnami, assured to implement fully 12-point guidelines issued by the SC in cases of encounter. “Whatever genuine demands have been raised will be met,” he said.