Bihar: Film explores forcible blindings

New Delhi: Mob justice, in the form of blindings, depicted in the much acclaimed film Gangaajal, has not stopped in Bihar. A short film, depicting the rise of such incidents after the infamous Bhagalpur blinding case of 1980-81 has been issued a U/A certificate by the censor board last month.

The film titled, The Eyes Of Darkness, is based on stories of many such victims of forcible blindings who are struggling to get justice but with no success so far.   

The film aims to depict the fact that blinding of petty criminals did not ever stop. In fact, the documentary claims that ever since the Bhagalpur incidents, are done under the supervision of Bihar policemen, there has been a spurt in such incidents. “Despite the Central and state governments acting against the policemen, who were accused in these cases, it seems that the local population has taken upon itself to give their own kind of mob justice to accused,” said director and producer of the film Amitabh Parashar.

Bhagalpur indicents shook the nation’s conscience in 1980s with barbaric tales of blinding by injecting acid, infamously called ‘Gangajal’ in the eyes of  the victims. Some policemen allegedly took the law into their hands by pouring acid in the eyes of 33 undertrials. However, 36 years later, this ‘street justice’ remains a reality.

The documentary film shows many cases of blindings including a bizarre case of Shahid Khan, who was blinded about 22 years ago in left eye after being accused of theft and was made to undergo same punishment in the right eye.