At least 16 cops injured in three separate incidents in Bihar

Bihta station head officer (SHO) Pramod Kumar said they have registered a first information report [FIR] against known and unknown persons in connection with the incident, adding that raids are on to nab the accused involved

At least 16 police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, were injured in separate attacks allegedly by bootleggers and their supporters in rural Patna, Vaishali and Bhagalpur districts late on Sunday, officials said.

(Representative Photo)

According to officials, five police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, two home guard jawans and a driver from Bihta police station in rural Patna suffered injuries after they came under during a raid at Musepur tola in which three bootleggers were arrested.

Police said that a joint team of local police and excise team reached the village to arrest the accused involved in the liquor trade, however, soon after leaving the village with the three accused in handcuffs, a mob of 25 to 30 people pelted stones, attacked with bamboo sticks and damaged three police vehicles, injuring five cops.

Bihta station head officer (SHO) Pramod Kumar said they have registered a first information report [FIR] against known and unknown persons in connection with the incident, adding that raids are on to nab the accused involved.

In Vaishali, the Bidupur police, along with the excise officials, raided an illegal liquor manufacturing unit at the riverine belt and arrested six persons from the spot, however, they came under attack by a mob.

Police said the supporters of the liquor manufacturer attacked the police team and damaged two police vehicles, injuring three cops.

Excise Inspector Ganesh Chandra confirmed the incident saying, “A mob pelted stones at the police and attacked them with sticks.”

In Bhagalpur, six cops were injured in an attack by villagers after a police team raided the house of a wanted criminal Fantush Tanti. City SP Amit Ranjan said that the police team raided Tanti’s house and arrested him, however, his supporters, mostly women, attacked the police team, injuring at least six cops.

After the incident, additional forces were sent to the spot and five women were arrested for allegedly assaulting the police team and causing hindrance to the government work, SP Ranjan said.

In the fourth incident, two cops were injured after a scuffle with a mob in which the excise department team allegedly thrashed women and elderly persons at Gulalchak village. Eight people were admitted to Dulhin Bazar hospital for treatment.

According to people, the officials of the excise police team led by inspector Deepak Kumar reached Badichak Musehri and carried out a search operation against the bootleggers in which the police detained seven people, including two farmers. When the villagers opposed the detention, police allegedly fired three rounds in the air and thrashed them with batons, people said.

Meanwhile, excise superintendent Abhay Kumar Mishra refuted the allegation of firing and thrashing women and the elderly. Mishra said two cops were injured after they were attacked. He said that they arrested two people with liquor from Badichak Musehri.