Garden manager killed student: Rani witnesses

GUWAHATI: The sessions court here on Friday heard the witnesses in the Rani Tea Estate firing case in which the planter of the garden, Mridul Bhattacharya, was accused of killing 15-year-old boy youth Pradip Murari, son of Munus Murari, on March 22, 2010.
The three witnesses, Jogmaya Bodo, Katiram Rabha and Ajanta Murari who appeared before the court here, identified Mridul as the person who had fired at people with his gun during mob violence that day, killing the teen on the spot and injuring five others.
"All the witnesses have identified Mridul as Pradip's killer," said Dinesh Das, the president of Sangrami Krishak Sramik Santha (SKSS), who is pressing the administration to take action in the case. Das was also present during the hearing.
Das accused police of not conducting investigation properly. "We had to wait for 24 months to start our case in court. Police are favouring Mridul who has money and muscle power. Even the administration has done nothing for the injured and 300 other labourers who became jobless after the tea estate was shut down," he said.
On March 22, 2010, Rani Tea Estate was shut down after workers set fire to houses inside the garden after the proprietor of the tea estate, Mridul Kumar Bhattacharya, allegedly shot dead Class VIII student Pradip Murari. The shooting occurred when NREGA workers and locals had gone to seek a clarification from Bhattacharya after he allegedly assaulted a woman called Jogmaya Bodo. Police, later, arrested Mridul.
Munus Murari, the father of Pradip who pleaded for justice, said, "I lost my kid. I hope the court will give justice to us."
On the other hand, the court rejected Mridul's plea of handing over the gun to him as the weapon was seized by police for enquiry. The next hearing is on March 23.