A dispute over leftover coal collected from a railway siding turned tragic in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district after a 25-year-old pregnant Dalit woman died following an altercation among local residents, prompting arrests, political allegations and demands for a high-level probe.
The incident took place on Friday night at the Dhaura coal site under the Bermo police station area.
Dispute over coal collection turns fatal
The deceased, identified as Anita Devi, was among a group of women who had gathered to collect leftover coal from a railway siding area — a common practice among local families who use it for household needs.
According to police, a dispute broke out among local residents over the sharing of coal, which soon escalated into pushing and physical confrontation. During the scuffle, Anita allegedly collapsed.
Her family rushed her to the Regional Hospital in Dhori, where doctors declared her dead.
Bermo police station in-charge Rohit Kumar said preliminary findings suggest the incident began over coal distribution and involved pushing and scuffling.
“Women in the locality regularly collect leftover coal from the siding area for household use. The dispute appears to have started over sharing of the coal,” Kumar said.
He added that no visible external injuries had been found so far and that the exact cause of death would become clear after medical examination and further investigation.
Police said Anita was pregnant at the time of the incident.
Husband files complaint, six arrested
On Saturday, Anita’s husband, Mahesh Bhuiyan, filed a police complaint alleging that the altercation had turned violent and led to his wife’s death. He also accused police of attempting to shield those responsible.
Following the complaint, police launched raids and arrested six people in connection with the case. Officials said further investigation is underway.
Mahesh alleged that many families in the locality depend on leftover coal from railway siding areas for daily use and that the dispute arose during its collection and distribution.
Political row erupts
The incident has since triggered political reactions.
The BJP described Anita’s death as a “brutal murder” and accused the district administration of mishandling the matter. Party leaders alleged that arrests were made only after threats of a road blockade in Bokaro.
BJP state general secretary Amar Kumar Bauri demanded the arrest of what he called the “main conspirator”, compensation for Anita’s family and a high-level inquiry into the conduct of police and medical officials.
Investigation underway
Police, however, maintained that the matter stemmed from a local dispute over coal collection and said the postmortem report and forensic findings would be crucial in determining the exact circumstances behind Anita Devi’s death.
The investigation is ongoing.
