By Twocircles.net Staff Reporter
Delhi: Having barely recovered from a brutal attack on her face by assailants, Soni Sori, the human rights activist from Chattisgarh, is now witnessing her family being targeted.
Yesterday, Soni’s brother in law, Ajay Markam, was picked up by the police for questioning and he hasn’t been seen since. Today, her sister, Dhaneswari Markam was picked up by the police for interrogation.
Lingaram Kodopi, Soni Sori’s nephew, spoke to Twocircles.net about their recent ordeal. “The police want us to withdraw the FIR we had filed against unknown persons who attacked Soni a few days ago. These recent interrogations and forced disappearances are part of their tactics,” he said.
Kodopi said they still have no clue about Ajay. “He was picked up yesterday morning from his college by Kuan Konda police station officials at 10 am. When we tried to look for him and approached the police station, we were threatened,” added Kodopi.
He said that Sori was on her way from Raipur to Gidam, and added that the Inspector General of Police threatened them with encounters and used extremely filthy language. “I got a call a few minutes ago, asking me to come to the police station to give my statement. However, I am not going because I do not know what they will do to me,” he added.
Asking for a CBI inquiry into the matter, Kodopi said that the entire family has been scared and have no faith on the police. “I have given my statement to the local police and the Special Investigation Team. Even then, they want me to come again. How can we expect these people, who have been at the forefront of intimidating and threatening us, to carry any investigation in this matter?” Kodopi asked. “They will lock me up in a room and beat and torture me until they get the desired statement,” he added.
Although they had approached the court regarding the disappearance of Ajay Markam, it will not be until Monday when the courts step in. “We might consider withdrawing the FIR. What option do we have left? Everyone in the family has been at the receiving end of the police’s abuse. When we are threatened of encounters by the Inspector General of Police, what recourse do we have?”, Kodopi asked.
Kodopi said they are looking at support from the intellectuals and civil society members in ensuring that not only these attacks on their family stop, but also that the CBI is brought in to investigate the matter,