Ranchi, Nov 6 — The death of tribal activist Nisha Bhagat, who allegedly died by suicide after going live on Facebook, has triggered a political row in Jharkhand, with BJP leaders questioning the role of the state government and police administration and demanding an impartial investigation into the incident.
The BJP has sought a response from Chief Minister Hemant Soren and demanded immediate action against those whom Bhagat held responsible in her Facebook Live video.
Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, said the young activist, who had been fighting for the rights of the tribal community, had named Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the officer-in-charge of Pithoria police station, and Ajay Tirkey in her live video.
“The suicide of Nisha Bhagat, who fought for the rights of Adivasis, has shaken everyone to the core. The pain she expressed in her Facebook Live just before taking her life is heart-wrenching. Nisha Bhagat's words were not just her personal agony; they also laid bare the state of affairs in the state. Chief Minister @HemantSorenJMM and his MLA wife, Kalpana Soren, are misleading society by announcing from platforms their commitment to fighting for Adivasi rights. In Nisha Bhagat's statement before her death, the frustration, anguish, and pain with the system clearly reveal that today, not just Adivasi society but the entire state is groaning in agony," Marandi said in a post on X.
Marandi alleged that some people were attempting to encroach upon tribal land at the behest of the Chief Minister. He demanded the arrest of those named by Bhagat and an impartial investigation into the entire episode. He also said that the Chief Minister should resign, taking ownership of the situation.
BJP state president Aditya Sahu also accused the police and administration of negligence. He said Bhagat had expressed her distress and apprehensions through a Facebook Live session before the incident, which was watched by a large number of people.
Despite this, the police allegedly failed to reach the spot in time, Sahu said, adding that timely intervention could have helped rescue her.
He described Bhagat as an activist who raised her voice against injustice and alleged oppression. Sahu also called for the identification and investigation of those whose conduct and alleged remarks, as mentioned in the live video, had reportedly hurt her.
Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth expressed grief over the incident and said Bhagat had levelled serious allegations against the state government and people linked to the land trade in her Facebook Live video.
Seth said an investigation was necessary to establish the circumstances that led a socially active tribal woman to take such an extreme step.
The Union Minister also referred to earlier cases involving tribal women in Jharkhand, including those of Rupa Tirkey, Pushpa Toppo and a Paharia woman, and said questions surrounding justice in these cases remained.
He said the state government needed to seriously examine the concerns surrounding women's safety and the law-and-order situation.
Nisha Bhagat, a prominent tribal rights activist from Pithoria in Jharkhand's Ranchi district, died on Friday after allegedly attempting to commit suicide during a Facebook Live session. She was admitted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in a critical condition, where doctors later declared her dead, officials said.
Before the incident, Bhagat went live on Facebook in a video that has since gone viral. In the livestream, she appeared visibly distressed and emotional while speaking about her prolonged struggle against alleged land mafias, attempts to defame her, and several issues related to the system and governance.
According to information, Bhagat had spoken to the officer-in-charge of Pithoria police station shortly before the incident.
During the livestream, she said she had been fighting alone for a long time and felt abandoned by those around her. She also expressed concern about the grief her actions would cause her parents.
She further claimed that people associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whom she believed would support her, had failed to stand by her.
Bhagat voiced anger over being labelled a "dalal" and alleged that no action had been taken against those who were tarnishing her image.