Ramta Kumari of village Pirho in Karpi Block, Arwal District, used to practice running every morning as preparation for trying for a job with the police. But on 9 September 2017 she did not return from her morning run. Later it came to be known that she was gang raped, brutally beaten, killed, and burnt badly to prevent identification of the body. Ramta Kumari came from a poor landless worker’s family (Raj Mistri).
On getting news of the body, Party District Committee member and Bambhai Panchayat chief Com. Dev Mandir Singh, comades Gyan Pati Ram, Madheshwar Prasad and Block Secretary Com. Upendra Paswan reached the spot . The angry people jammed the highway and insisted on the constitution of an SIT enquiry. They took the dead body only after the formation of the SIT, on 10 September.
On 11 September a march was held in Arwal to protest against Ramta’s murder and NH 139 (erstwhile 98) was blocked for hours. The march culminated in a meeting at the Block HQ amidst slogans for justice for Ramta Kumari, punishment for the guilty, Rs 10 lakh compensation for the victim’s family, and guarantee of women’s safety. Women from Ramta’s village joined the march in large numbers. This fight will go on till Ramta’s family gets justice. The issue was also raised during the protest in front of the DM in Arwal on 21 September.
