Ranchi, November 6: Nisha Kumari Bhagat, a prominent Sarna Adivasi tribal rights activist from Pithoria in Ranchi district, died on Friday after broadcasting an 11-minute Facebook Live video in which she alleged harassment by local land brokers and officials and said her repeated written complaints to the police had brought no action. The video was watched by thousands of people. Police said she was rushed to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. All the allegations she made in the broadcast are allegations; they have not been independently verified.

Source: ANI via Devdiscourse

Ranchi Rural Superintendent of Police Gaurav Goswami said police received information around 12:15 pm, partly through the Facebook Live broadcast, and a team from Pithoria police station reached her residence. A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team later examined her home and collected evidence, a post-mortem was conducted by a medical board, and a case of unnatural death (UD) has been registered. Asked about her allegation that the Pithoria station house officer had not responded to her complaints, Goswami said everything was under investigation and it would be inappropriate to comment on specifics before the inquiry is complete; the findings, he said, would be shared once the investigation concludes.

CBI investigation demanded

The death has triggered demands for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe from across the BJP. Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh mourned her death and publicly demanded a CBI investigation. Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth demanded a CBI inquiry and the immediate arrest of the administrative personnel she had named, including the Pithoria SHO, and asked why state agencies did not intervene while the broadcast was live. Jharkhand BJP president Aditya Sahu also demanded a CBI investigation, saying thousands watched the distress broadcast live. Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi demanded a CBI probe and the arrest of those she held responsible, arguing that local authorities could not conduct a fair probe.

Source: Nation Press

Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto said Bhagat had been actively seeking institutional help from police officers, political representatives and social organisations, and demanded a CBI inquiry into every aspect of the case — what written complaints were filed, why no action was taken, and who was negligent. Police say the investigation is examining all aspects of the incident, including the broadcast and her complaints, before any culpability is assigned.

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