While several celebrities are condemning a video featuring a CRPF jawan being roughed up by some youths in Srinagar, a retired Army jawan from Maharashtra is still awaiting justice five years after his mother’s murder.
Laxman Ambaji Bansode, a hawaldar from Kandhar town of Maharashtra’s Nanded district has been running from pillar to post to seek justice for his 65-year-old mother- Saraswati Ambaji Bansode – who was found murdered in Panbhushi village.
“It’s been five years and no one is giving me justice. Investigation is on, is the only thing I am being told whenever I approach the officials,” Bansode told DNA.
Bansode’s mother was killed on March 6, 2012, while he was posted at the China border in Sikkim.
“Goons from the village would threaten my family to grab our land of 2.5 acres. Then while I was on duty, they brutally killed my mother,” he said.
The jawan who retired from his service in December 2016, has now demanded a CBI inquiry, alleging that the case has not been moving due to the nexus between the accused and police.
“There is no pressure on the investigating agency as there is no one to question them. The accused have contacts with the police and are interfering in the matter. Even after 5 years, the CID has not filed the chargesheet, which ideally should have been done in three months,” he alleged.
Bansode claims that Rangarao Ganpat Karamunge, his brother Laxman and wife Mahadabai committed the crime in the presence of other villagers, who fear to come forward due to their influence.
“For 24 years, I fought for my motherland, I was ready to take a bullet, then why can’t I get justice for my mother,” he said.
Bansode’s family members have now left the village and moved to Kandar tehsil which is seven kilometres away from Panbhushi.
Laxman’s brother Rohidas has also initiated a Twitter campaign and has also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for help.
“#JusticeForJawan..Help me considering her your mother.. My mother was brutally killed…From five years CID is investigating the case.” reads the Twitter bio of Rohidas, which has over 4,300 followers.
मुख्यमंत्री साहेब @Dev_Fadnavis जी कृपया माझ्या आईला न्याय द्या माझी तुम्हाला हात जोडून विनंती ताबडतोब CBI द्या@narendramodi जी न्याय द्या pic.twitter.com/VVF1nGGre5
— Rohidas Bansode (@rohidas40) October 26, 2016
During the Congress regime, Bansode says he met several officials and had written letters to MLAs from Maharashtra, but this did not yield him any results. Since 2014, he says he has met LJP leader and Lok Sabha MP Chirag Paswan thrice, who has taken up the matter with the Home Minister and also written a letter to the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, Bansode vows to continue his fight, hoping the Fadnavis government will step in to look into the matter.
The hashtag #justiceforjawan has been used by several Twitterati, tagged top politicians including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minsiter Devendra Fadnavis and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, urging them to get Bansode justice.
Why it’s delay to give justice for @rohidas40 .He is serve our nation but he wait for justice his mother.#JusticeForJawan @Dev_Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/KN8vf9CD5Y
— Amit Dilip Shinde (@ashinde72) April 16, 2017
@narendramodi sir, Soldier Laxman Bansode is fighting on border for nation & in village too,to nab mom’s killer. Pl assure #JusticeForJawan pic.twitter.com/4MmrN89AXG
— Tulsidas Bhoite (@TulsidasBhoite) April 16, 2017
We are safe just because our Jawan’s are fighting day-night on border so its our duty 2 respect them and help their family #JusticeForJawan
— Nanda #WithRG (@_nandamhatre) April 16, 2017
First published in dnaindia.com
