Bihar: 2 killed, 9 injured in police firing during protest

(

), Jul 8: Two persons were

and nine others, including two police personnel, were injured when police opened fire at protesting villagers in Bihar's Rohtas district on Tuesday.

Pradeep Paswan (21) and Upendra Singh Kushwaha (25) sustained bullet injuries in police firing and died during treatment at the Primary Health Centre (PHC).

The incident occurred at Akbarpur when protesting villagers, who had blocked the road, turned violent and pelted stones at the police personnel who had gone to pacify them, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Umashankar Sudhansu said.

The trouble started with the arrest of a youth of Akbarpur village yesterday for sending a derogatory SMS targeting a particular community. Rumour spread that the arrested youth was severely beaten up at the police station.

As a result, the villagers came out on the road in protest today and put up a blockade. The situation turned violent as the police tried to remove the blockade, the DIG said.

"Seven persons have been injured in the police firing, while two police personnel have been injured in the stone pelting by the villagers," the DIG said, adding that the agitators also torched a police patrol car.

The condition of all the seven injured in the police firing is stated to be serious, police said, adding they have been taken to Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMCH) at Gaya for further treatment.

The two injured police personnel are being treated at a PHC near Akbarpur.

PTI