https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=1997_Raghopur_Massacre1997 Raghopur Massacre - Revision history2026-08-01T01:16:39ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=1997_Raghopur_Massacre&diff=391669&oldid=prevMetaBOT at 15:54, 8 July 20232023-07-08T15:54:06Z<p></p>
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{{short description|Incident in a series of caste related violence in the Eastern Indian state of Bihar}}<br />
The '''1997 Raghopur [[massacre]]''' was an incident in a series of [[Caste-related violence in India|caste related violence]] in the Eastern [[India]]n state of [[Bihar]]. Raghopur is a village located in Patut Panchayat of [[Bihta]] block of [[Patna district|Patna]] district which is also home to the state capital [[Patna]]. On the night of 21 April 1997, an armed squad of [[Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Party Unity]] entered the village and selectively killed 6 men<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/19970515-poorly-armed-cash-strapped-bihar-police-fails-to-control-lawlessness-faces-criticism-831365-1997-05-15|title=Poorly armed, cash-strapped Bihar police fails to control lawlessness, faces criticism|first=Farz|last=Ahmed|website=India Today|language=en|access-date=2018-12-13|date=May 15, 1997}}</ref> after identifying them asmembers of the [[Bhumihar|Bhumihar caste]]. The house of Janardhana Sharma, a local member of the [[Bihar Legislative Assembly]], was blown up twice by explosives.<br />
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== Masscare ==<br />
At the time of the massacre Raghopur consisted of 150 households with Bhumihars and [[Musahar]]s being the predominant castes in the village. There were around 50 Bhumihar households and 50 Musahar households. Other major castes living in the village included [[Paswan|Dusadhs]] and Kanu Saus with one or two households belonging to other castes including a Muslim household. Most of the land in the village was owned by Bhumihars with two families owning more than 20 acres and all other families owning 5-10 acres of land.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://pudr.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/1997%20Agrarian%20conflict%20in%20Bihar.pdf|title=Agrarian conflict in Bihar and Ranbir Sena. Page 12|last=|first=|date=December 12, 2018|website=pudr.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215070122/http://pudr.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/1997%20Agrarian%20conflict%20in%20Bihar.pdf|archive-date=December 15, 2018|access-date=2018-12-13|url-status=dead}}</ref><br />
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The attack took place after midnight. In first strike, at around 12:30 AM the unoccupied house of Janardhana Sharma was blown up with explosives. Pawan Singh (25 years), who was sleeping inside the house, was pulled outside and shot after ascertaining his caste and identity. Post the explosion the Naxals circled the village and gathered as many people as possible to kill. Some were killed at sight after making attempt to warn the villagers while others were taken outside the village to be killed collectively .<ref name=":0" /><br />
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Three men were also picked to be killed but let go after they claimed to not be Bhumihars. Mr Janardhana Sharma's house was blown up once again at 12:50 AM.<br />
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Greater casualties in the massacre was prevented due to the Naxal's inability to account for new phone lines that had been installed in the village a few months before the attack. Members of the village were able to contact the police in neighboring Nagahar village and the first squad of police were in village by 1:15 AM.<ref name=":0" /><br />
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== Aftermath ==<br />
FIRs against 25 people were lodged in the nearby police stations of [[Bikram (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Bikram]], Rania Talab and [[Paliganj]]. A police camp with 12 poli<br />
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cemen was set up to provide round the clock security to the village after the incident. The families of the deceased were given an ex gratia compensation of Rs 10,000.<br />
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== References ==<br />
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{{Social issues in India}}<br />
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{{#seo:<br />
|keywords=Caste-related violence in Bihar, Massacres of men, Violence against men in Asia, 1997 crimes in India<br />
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[[Category:Caste-related violence in India| ]]<br />
[[Category:Caste-related violence in Bihar]]<br />
[[Category:Massacres of men]]<br />
[[Category:Violence against men in Asia]]<br />
[[Category:1997 crimes in India]]</div>MetaBOT