Public exposure of accused resumes in high-profile Abhijeet murder case
Dhanbad police on Monday escorted three more accused in the murder of 24-year-old Abhijeet Singh on foot to court under tight security, continuing a visible policing practice senior officers say serves as a crime-deterrent.
The three recent arrests bring the number of persons detained in the case to five, police reported. Two other accused had been arrested on Sunday. Abhijeet, a resident of lower Rajbari Road in Jharia, was allegedly assaulted during a brawl at a hotel on the intervening night of October 18–19 and later died while undergoing treatment, according to reports.
- Number of accused arrested so far: 5
- Incident date: the intervening night of Oct 18–19
- Location associated with victim: lower Rajbari Road, Jharia
Police said raids were continuing to identify and apprehend others allegedly involved. Senior officers described the public parades as part of a broader crime-control strategy that has been used repeatedly in the district in recent months.
Pattern of visible policing in Dhanbad
The practice, which has gained visibility locally, includes several recent instances reported by authorities and media:
- In September, police paraded Banti Khan, brother of fugitive gangster Prince Khan, through Bank More and Wasseypur after arresting him in Kolkata.
- Earlier, alleged cattle smuggler and arms dealer Sahab Qureshi was paraded with a rope tied around his waist.
- In July, authorities reportedly paraded about 700 persons at Dhanbad Police Lines during a district-wide crime-control drive.
- Several accused in connection with stone-pelting during a Ram Navami procession in Baliapur on March 27 were also paraded.
| Event | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Abhijeet case | Five accused arrested; three taken to court on foot on Monday |
| Banti Khan parade | Paraded through Bank More and Wasseypur after Kolkata arrest |
| July district drive | About 700 persons paraded at Police Lines |
The approach has attracted support from sections of the public, notably some business owners who have faced threats and alleged extortion, and who view visible policing as a means to restore confidence. Advocate Narendra Trivedi was quoted as welcoming the move, saying it could weaken criminals’ confidence and deter offences.
"Public exposure of accused persons could discourage others from entering criminal activities," Dhanbad SSP Prabhat Kumar said, defending the approach as visible policing rather than punishment.
At the same time, the tactic has invited political criticism. Health Minister Irfan Ansari was reported to have criticised the practice, reflecting concerns from some quarters about the optics and legal implications of parading accused individuals before formal judicial processes conclude.
Officials maintain the parades are conducted before accused persons are produced in court for formal remand hearings and are not intended as punishment. Yet rights advocates and legal observers often caution that public exposure can prejudice trial fairness and may amount to extra-judicial humiliation if not strictly controlled.
For Dhanbad residents the continuing use of public parades highlights a tension in local governance between asserting visible control over crime and safeguarding procedural safeguards for accused persons. The latest developments in the Abhijeet case — arrests, continued raids and court appearances under tight security — are likely to keep policing methods and accountability under public scrutiny as the investigation proceeds.
Police have said investigations are ongoing and further arrests may follow as they trace those allegedly involved in the episode that ended in the young man’s death.
