Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on July 26 launched an attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after Police opened fire and baton-charged the protesters in Katihar, in which one protester was killed, adding that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should resign.
He alleged that Bihar Police have turned into criminals under the protection of the State Government. Clashes broke out between Police and the people when locals held a protest over the inadequate supply of power and higher power tariffs against the electricity department in Katihar.
Nityanand Rai alleged that the Police opened firing at the innocent and unarmed people who raised their voices against the basic necessity, which is the duty of the Government to provide.
“Bullets firing and lathicharge on unarmed people for the demand of electricity is a heinous crime. This is the Government of criminals. The Police have been turned into criminals in Bihar by the State Goverment.
The Police use bullets and sticks to kill people at their own will. The entire Bihar is living under the fear. The grand Alliance government in the state is not only incompetent but also ruthless, so this Government should resign. Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi ji should be ashamed that they opened fire at the innocent people of Bihar,” Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai alleged.
Katihar SP Jitendra Kumar said, “People pelted stones and vandalised the office of electricity department, in this incident one person died and 2 are injured. DM is present at the spot.”
Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, Nityanand Rai said, “Both the leaders of the Bihar Government, Nitish ji and Tejashwi Yadav, have become very callous. This Government has become tyrannical and sensitive. Today, in Katihar’s Barsoi block, the public were protesting for the problem of electricity, but due to police firing, more than two people died, as per local information, while Police claimed one person died in the firing.”
The Lok Sabha MP from Bihar’s Ujiarpur further alleged that the Police indulged in opening fire at students, farmers, BJP workers and common man. What is happening in Bihar? The Nitish Kumar Government has crossed all limits of harshness in its greed for power.
“Bihar Government has so many excuses for police firing, but I want to say that there are many other ways. The Police have become insensitive there, and those officers who fire bullets are rewarded and praised by the Government. There are many ways to maintain law and order, but the intension of the Nitish Kumar Government is to rule over the public through repressive policy,” he added.
The residents of a village near Barsoi town in Katihar gathered outside the electricity department to protest against the irregular supply of electricity and higher power tariffs.
“One person was killed and two others were injured after the police allegedly opened fire to disperse a mob who were protesting in Bihar’s Katihar against the electricity department,” officials said.
The deceased youth has been identified as Khurshid Alam, a resident of Bansal village, while the other two youths who were gravely injured in the incident were rushed to hospital from where one of them, identified as Niyas, has been reportedly referred to West Bengal. Some unconfirmed news of both the youths succumbing to their injuries were also floating among the villagers however, the State police, in a tweet on late July 26 evening, confirmed the death of only one youth.
SP Katihar Jitendra Kumar said that a clash broke out between locals and Police in Kathihar during a protest against the electricity department. People pelted stones and vandalized the office of the Electricity Department. One person has died, and 2 are injured in this incident. DM and SP present on the spot.
(with inputs from ANI)
