Man killed, many hurt in Bihar police firing to disperse protestors; Nitish orders probe

Incensed locals at Tajpur in north Bihar were protesting against the murder of a medicines trader on Thursday and abduction of a minor girl on Monday, when the police resorted to firing, it is being claimed.

One person killed and 25 others, including policemen, were injured when police opened fire on a crowd protesting against the murder of a businessman in Tajpur police station area of Samastipur district of north Bihar, about 70 km north east of state capital, Patna, on Friday.

Residents of Tajpur in Samastpur (north Bihar) protesting against a trader’s murder, on Friday. (HT photo)

Over 20 vehicles, including a police van, were set on fire by the rioting mob. Senior police officials have rushed to the spot. Additional forces have been deployed in view of the volatile situation, which the SP claimed was under control. Security forces have done flag march in the area, said the SP, Deepak Ranjan.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered probe by Tirhut divisional commissioner and range DIG of Darbhanga as additional forces from adjoining Muzaffarpur district were rushed to the tense area.

ADG (headquarters) Sanjeev Kumar Singhal told HT that the situation was being monitored from the headquarters and Section 144 had been imposed on the affected area. Top officials of the district administration were camping at Tajpur in view of the tension

As the news of the murder spread on Friday morning, shops downed their shutters and a large number of locals gathered near Tajpur and stopped traffic on National Highway 28, shouting slogans against the local police for failing to arrest the medicine trader’s murderers and to recover a minor girl, abducted on Monday.

When the police reinforcement arrived, the mob attacked the SP also, resulting in police firing. However, after the firing, hell broke loose and the mob went on the rampage. Protestors alleged the police fired more than 20 rounds, killing local resident Jitendra Kumar and injuring many others.

Protesters then attacked local police station and torched around 20 vehicles, including a police van and a truck.

On the other hand, police said that clashes ensued when the policemen tried to clear the protesters from the area. Around 20 policemen were injured in stone-pelting.

The SP, Deepak Ranjan, claimed no one was killed in police firing and that the deceased died in mob violence. Ten persons were detained in stone pelting case. The police also carried out searches in the area to identify and arrest the anti-social elements present in the mob who attacked the policemen.