By IANS
Patna : A Dalit man in Bihar who was blinded by the village head’s husband for demanding some of the government flood relief to feed his hungry children fears he may be killed if he returns home.
Shiv Kumar, of Tamoria village in flood-hit Madhubani district, was blinded with acid poured into his eyes by the village mukhiya’s muscle-flexing husband, Kapileshwar, on Wednesday. He is being treated at a government hospital in Darbhanga.
“Even if I could, I will not return to my village where there is little chance of justice for me,” Shiv Kumar told IANS on phone Saturday.
“I may be eliminated by the same people if I return to my village because I have revealed the name of the mukhiya’s husband and filed a police complaint too. Now who will save me and my children? We are poor,” Shiv Kumar said in a voice choked with emotion.
Bhupendra Kumar, an eye specialist at the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital where Shiv Kumar is being treated, says there is no hope of him getting his vision back. “Both his eyes were badly damaged in the acid attack,” he said.
Shiv Kumar, in his late 20s and the father of two small daughters, was abused and threatened by Kapileshwar for demanding flood relief and was then blinded with acid.
“Kapileshwar and his henchmen forcibly poured acid in both my eyes. I will not be able to see this colourful world again, I am now blind,” Shiv Kumar said from his hospital bed.
Kapileshwar is known for his muscle flexing. He was village head of Tamoria before his wife was elected the chief two years ago.
Shiv Kumar said: “I had merely demanded flood relief as my children were hungry for two days and there was no work in my flood-hit district.”
According to Shiv Kumar, when he was told by villagers that the government-sponsored flood relief of 25 kg food grains was being distributed at the house of the panchayat head, he went to get his share.
“I went to the house of the mukhiya but her husband asked me to return empty handed saying the flood relief stock was exhausted. But when I insisted because I was yet to get relief, he threatened to kill me and assaulted me and poured acid into my eyes,” Shiv Kumar said.
Shiv Kumar was first admitted to a hospital near the village, and later shifted to another hospital at Jhanjharpur. But when his condition deteriorated, the doctors referred him to a bigger hospital in Darbhanga.
Police Inspector General Ratan Lal Kanaujia has directed Madhubani district superintendent of police Amritraj to inquire into the matter and submit a report immediately. Kanaujia has ordered that the culprits be arrested.
Amritraj said Saturday that Kapileshwar was absconding. “Police will arrest him soon, we will not spare him,” he said.
Meanwhile, the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress and other parties have condemned the incident and demanded action against the culprits.
Over 390 people have died and 15 million affected by floods in Bihar so far this year.