Man injured in police lathicharge in Patna dies

Police on Tuesday resorted to lathicharge after people refused to remove encroachment from the government land.

Angry residents of Malahi Pakari in Patna on Wednesday blocked the main road in the locality and disrupted traffic movement for about six hours after the death of a tea stall owner who was injured in a lathicharge during an anti-encroachment drive to clear land for the Patna metro project on Tuesday.

People burnt tyres in protest against death of a man during anti-encroachment drive in Patna on Wednesday. (Santosh Kumar/HT photo)

Police on Tuesday resorted to lathicharge after people refused to remove encroachment from the government land. Locals allegedly pelted stones at the police. One of the injured, identified as tea stall owner Rajesh Thakur (36), was taken to a private nursing home, where he died during treatment on Tuesday night.

As the news of the death spread, irate locals took to streets. A team of police officers and administration officials rushed to the spot with additional forces to bring the situation under control.

After six hours, locals agreed to lift the blockade when the administration agreed to fulfil their demands, including compensation, a government job for the next of kin of the deceased and rehabilitation of people whose huts and shops were removed for the metro project. The administration paid ₹20,000 for performing last rites of Thakur, said a police officer.

About 20 huts had encroached government land at Malahi Pakari area, where about 100 families used to stay. The Patna municipal corporation had issued notices to people to remove their belongings.

Naveen Kumar, subdivisional officer (Patna Sadar), said, “The administration on Wednesday provided benefits under the government scheme to the kin of deceased for last rites. The body was sent to the PMCH for autopsy. I saw a video of Tuesday’s incident. However, there was nothing to prove that the deceased was injured. We will look into the matter after the autopsy is done.”

CPI-ML MLA Mehboob Alam staged a dharna at Malahi Pakri, demanding compensation for the deceased.