Caste conflict fears in Nalanda after mob lynching; heavy police deployed, five held

By Thursday, the unruly incident took caste colour as sympathisers of those killed assembled in large numbers at the crematorium and avenged to get justice to the bereaved families.

Heavy police bandobast has been made in Nalanda district as tension prevailed for the second consecutive day after a violent mob led by RJD supporters ransacked homes and lynched two persons to death on Wednesday.

As police began crackdown against the culprits, majority male residents of Kakobigha-Maghrsarai village fled their homes fearing backlash and arrests (File)

By Thursday, the unruly incident took caste colour as sympathisers of those killed assembled in large numbers at the crematorium and avenged to get justice to the bereaved families. Its Paswans (SC) versus Yadavs (BC) in Nalanda now.

Unidentified assailants Thursday night had killed RJD supporter Indal Paswan. His body was found Wednesday morning in a roadside ditch. He was shot in his chest. Soon his family members and supporters took to violent protests targeting homes of the suspects and attacking people in the homes. In the rampage, two minors, Ranjan Yadav (15) and Santu Malakar (16), were lynched by the mob..

As police began crackdown against the culprits, majority male residents of Kakobigha-Maghrsarai village fled their homes fearing backlash and arrests for the Wednesday violence. Police said five people have been arrested , while few more accused would be nabbed soon.

Four separate FIRs have been lodged with Deepnagar police station in connection with the three murders, one of the RJD leader and the other of the two minors. A case has also been lodged against the rampaging mob for attacking, brick batting and destroying government vehicles.

Three murders and four shoot out incidents in Nalanda in the past two days and subsequent tension in the area has thrown the Bihar home department into a tizzy. Authorities on Thursday directed the Patna zone IG Bachchu Singh Meena to monitor the case. Meena sent central range DIG Rajesh Kumar to Nalanda to oversee the situation and camp there till the situation was brought under control and normalcy restored.

The slain RJD leader was a popular SC face of Nalanda and enjoyed much clout among his caste brethren. His murder angered the people of his caste spread over several villages. In their rage, they set afire several houses of people belonging to community. His murder had sparked massive protests by the SC people from several nearby villagers who attacked and vandalised at least 10 houses and killed two minors.

When police team reached the spot, the vandalising mob also attacked them Locals alleged that the violence went on even during the presence of police.

The district administration has provided Rs 4.12 lakh to Paswan’s wife Sangita Devi as ex-gratia under SC/ST atrocities act.