Press Release: “Development Via State Terror in Jharkhand” - INSAF Fact-Finding Team To Kathikund December 22, 2008(Monday), Ranc! Jharkhan The state-repression culminating in police firing on people protesting peacefully on 6" December 2008 at Kathikund, Dumka District, Jharkhand was “un-called for, un-justified and, from all accounts, pre-meditated. The well-planned and systematic repressive measures adopted by the State Government appear to be part of a strategy to peddle development via state terror without any regard to Constitutional provisions and/or people’s democratic rights to life, livelihood and determination”. A Fact-Finding Team of the Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF) has thus drawn the conclusion after visiting the affected region on 20" & 21" December 2008, meeting various segments of society, and analyzing the data and documents. ‘The pre-announced people’s programme to protest by courting arrest after paying homage to Shaheed Sidhu Kanu on 6" December 2008 did not warrant such a heavy police presence and excessive use of force resulting in killing of one Lukhiram Tudu, and injuries to about 15 others. The district administration did not follow the procedures laid down in the police manual and opened fired indiscriminately on the protesting people without any warning. The use of tear-gas and lathi charge was resorted only to fulfil the regulatory demands. Even those village folks helping the seriously wounded in police firing were fired upon. Due to this Lukhiram Tudu was not provided timely medical aid and, thus, died of excessive bleeding. Police brutally beat up, abused and took into custody those who were taking the wounded to the hospital. The wounded were treated with contempt and inhumanly, even their bodies were dragged like dead dogs. The stray incidents of people giving vent to their anger and frustration by responding to the police firing by resorting to use of bow and arrow prima facie appears to be a result of extreme provocation by the police on an otherwise peaceful protest. Varying figures are being given for those seriously injured or wounded. Not less than 15 persons may have sustained bullet injuries. The INSAF Team found and met one person with bullet piercing his right shoulder and coming out from the back. He told the team that