3 injured in police firing; cop suspended

Bhabhua (Bihar), Feb 22 (PTI) A cop was suspended and25 persons arrested today after an irate mob set a policestation on fire in Bihar''s Kaimur district even as policeopened fire on the protesters injuring three of them,including a journalist, official sources said.

During their agitation against the yesterday''s murderof trader Sunil Jaiswal, said to be the fourth such incidentin Mohania in the past fortnight, the mob vented their ire onMohania police station by setting it on fire and burning tenvehicles, including a police jeep.

The protesters also pelted stones on the vehicle ofthe Superintendent of Police Umashankar Singh Sudhansu.

Sensing that the situation was getting out of control,the policemen opened fire on the crowd, in which threepersons, including local journalist Arun Kumar Singh,sustained injuries, official sources said.

The injured were admitted to a hospital where Singh''scondition was stated to be critical.

Mohania police station in-charge Akil Ahmed was latersuspended on charges of dereliction of duty, they said addingthat the police has arrested 25 persons in the case.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assured that thoseguilty in the case will be brought to book.

"Strict action will be taken against the killers,"Kumar said.

He has directed senior police officials to investigateinto the matter and submit report to him within the next 24hours.

Additional police personnel have been deployed inMohania township to maintain law and order, sources said. PTICORR KDK NIK