Bihar: 2 Killed In Police Firing Katihar After Protest Over Better Power Supply Turns Violent

The protests for better power supply turned violent in Katihar in Bihar on Wednesday resulting in police firing, killing two while leaving several others injured.

The police resorted to open firing following stone-pelting by protesters who were demanding better power supply, officials said.

More than a dozen police personnel and power department employees sustained injuries in the incident that took place barely 100 meters away from Barsoi police station, the police department said.

"Nearly 1,000 local residents were staging a demonstration in front of the power department office. Some anti-social elements had found their way into the crowd and they started hurling stones. When a police party tried to quell the disruptors, they too were attacked with bricks, stones and sticks," the Police Headquarters in Patna said.

Katihar District Magistrate Ravi Prakash told PTI-Bhasha over the phone, "Two of the protesters have died while another is undergoing treatment for injuries at the sub-division hospital."

While one of the two victims have been identified as 34-year-old Khurshid Alam, a resident of Baasal village, the other was yet to be identified.

Katihar Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar, who was camping at the site of the incident, told reporters, "You can gauge the situation from the fact that there is hardly any portion of the power office left without tell-tale signs of the vandalism and stone-pelting."

"The protesters suddenly grew violent and stormed the premises. Officials, including the sub-divisional police officer concerned, who has also sustained injuries, were held hostage by the mob. So, in self-defence, gunfire was used. Investigations are on and stern action will be taken against those involved in the attack on policemen," said the SP.

On the other hand, the BJP and the CPI(ML)-Liberation, which supports the Nitish Kumar government from outside, have condemned the incident.

Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, and a former president of the state BJP, made a statement alleging that the incident demonstrated the "barbarism" of the government led by the Chief Minister's JD(U) and the RJD, which is the largest constituent of the state's ruling Mahagathbandhan.

Furthermore, he called for the resignation of the Chief Minister and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, who belongs to the RJD, holding them responsible for recent instances of lathi-charge on similar protests in the state capital by teachers' job aspirants and ASHA workers. The CPI(ML)-L, a part of the Mahagathbandhan but not in the government, accused the BJP of "instigating the crowd" in Katihar.