Nitish Accuses Opposition for Recent Surge in Violence
Patna: Mar. 17, 2007
Villagers in many parts of the state including in Siwan, Mokama, Saharsa, and Munger, on Saturday, created ruckus over distribution of ration and kerosene coupons and staged widespread protests blocking the roads, highways, and railway tracks while blaming the officials of showing favoritism to some individuals.
While in Mokama, the mob took a block officer hostage for several hours, in Siwan the police resorted to lathi charge in which several women were reportedly injured.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar lashed out at the opposition parties for masterminding protests and violence to malign the government. "This is part of a well-orchestrated conspiracy by our political opponents with the sole intention to smear the NDA government," Kumar said.
Announcing a compensation package for the two victims of violence in Matihani village in Begusarai on Friday including a cash reparation of Rs. 1 lakh, the Chief Minister instructed the police to not open firing at such crowds at any cost.
He also ordered the transfer of Matihani police station in-charge and the BDO following Friday deadly violence.
"Our government is the first government in Bihar that is truly trying to enforce the rationing system for the people living under the poverty line but it is the same people who are putting obstacles in our way," Kumar said.
Defending the police action in Begusarai, Energy Minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav said only after the criminal elements in the crowd attacked the block office and torched several government vehicles, the police opened fire at them.
Meanwhile, the district administration in Begusarai insisted the two people who died in Friday shooting, did not die of police bullets. "Criminal elements in the crowd took advantage of the situation and opened fire at the mob killing two people. These people have been identified and police is attempting to catch them and bring them to justice," District Magistrate Sanjeev Hans and Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Lodha said at a press conference in Begusarai on Saturday.
Admitting the police opened fire to disperse the crowd; Hans said the bullets recovered from the victims' bodies during their autopsies were not fired from the police rifles. "The crowd was pretty calm until some people in it started to instigate others to attack the block office," he said.
"The autopsies also revealed the two men were shot from a very close range whereas the police force fired in the air from at least 100 meters from the mob," Lodha said.
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