Siraha, December 23:

Human rights organisations in Siraha today said Maoist cadres beat up Biltu Paswan at Ramnagar Mirchaiya-5 of the district on December 16.

Issuing a joint statement, the Human Rights Protection Centre, INSEC, and other rights organisations said Maoist cadres beat up Paswan on the issue of land.

“Maoists brandishing guns forced Biltu’s brother Baidhyanath to sign a mortgage (tamasuk) of Rs 1.2 million in the last week of Mangsir. When the incident became public, they attacked Biltu too,” the statement adds.

Demanding the cancellation of the tamasuk document, rights organisations condemned the incident.

Their statement said the incident that occurred under the leadership of Maoist Saptari in-charge Dilip Shah alias Dinakar, was a violation of human rights.

Sunil Shah, chairman of Lahan’s Samagra Bikas Kendra, said, “When the incident became public, the Maoists beat up Biltu while he was working in the field and forced him to put his signature also.” The assault has left Biltu in a deteriorating state of health, Shah said.

Maoist Siraha secretary Avinash said, “The tamasuks were prepared when they denied to register their land after taking cash. After the land registration process, the tamasuks can be destroyed.”