Man Climbs Mobile Tower in Siwan Demanding Justice for Brother's Custodial Death
In a dramatic protest in Siwan district, Bihar, a man scaled a mobile tower near an engineering college in the Mufassil police station area on Saturday, demanding justice for his brother's alleged custodial death. The incident, which lasted nearly three hours, highlighted growing frustrations over delayed investigations and lack of transparency in such cases.
Details of the Protest and Family's Allegations
The protester, identified as Saif Ali alias Lalu from Mohiddinpur, threatened to commit suicide unless the District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) met him personally. His younger brother, Anwar Ali, was arrested on July 31, 2025, in a theft case and died in jail on August 2 under suspicious circumstances. While jail authorities termed it a suicide, the family has alleged foul play, claiming it was a murder.
The family also asserted that despite repeated requests, they have not received the postmortem and forensic reports even after nine months, which prompted Saif's extreme protest. "Saif, the elder brother of the deceased, alleged that even nine months after the incident, no action has been taken in the case. The postmortem report has not been made available to them till now," said Mufassil SHO Upendra Kumar Singh.
Police Response and Investigation Promises
Upon receiving information, SHO Upendra Kumar Singh and his team reached the spot and tried to convince Saif to climb down. However, he remained adamant, demanding that senior administrative officials be called to the scene and provide written assurance of action. Singh added, "If the family submits a written complaint, a proper investigation will be carried out in the matter."
Earlier, considering the seriousness of the case, the postmortem was conducted at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), but the family claimed the report has not been shared so far, fueling their suspicions and leading to the protest.
Context of Similar Protests in Bihar
This incident is part of a spate of similar protests across Bihar, where individuals have climbed mobile towers to press their demands. Recent cases include:
- On March 26, a minor girl climbed a tower in Motihari's Rajepur area, demanding to marry her boyfriend.
- On April 1, a man climbed a tower at Muzaffarpur Junction with a similar demand.
- On April 5, a woman climbed a tower in East Champaran's Pipra area.
- On April 8, a married man in Samastipur staged a similar protest.
Similar incidents have also been reported recently from Khagaria, Katihar, and Vaishali districts, indicating a trend of using such extreme measures to draw attention to grievances.
The protest underscores ongoing issues with custodial deaths and bureaucratic delays in Bihar, raising concerns about accountability and justice in the state's law enforcement system.
