Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, October 27
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would certainly be in a fix to explain what transpired in Munger on the eve of Bihar’s first phase of election that largely focused on alleged 15-year “jungle-raj” of Lalu Prasad’s RJD.
With the head split open, the blood soaked body of 18-years-old Anurag Poddar was discovered on the Deendayal Chowk in Munger, about 200 kms east of Patna late Monday night; exposing the tall claim of Nitish Kumar’s “good governance” under the lens.
Anurag was the only son of local BJP leader Amarnath Poddar and the incident had fumed the senior leaders of the party that had been an ally of Nitish Kumar’s JDU.
Six others were hurt in firings, which the police today claimed the bullets were not theirs and anti-social elements had resorted to firing.
The trouble started when a procession to immerse idols of Goddess Durga puja was taking place in Munger on the banks of Ganga on Monday. Organisers of the different Puja committees wanted to maintain the centuries’ old tradition of Munger and arranged immersion till early Tuesday morning.
They had told the district administration the tradition should be followed this year too and processions would start from evening with the presiding deity of the town-Durga Maharani of Shadipur taking the lead.
However, police asked the committee members to proceed first with the idol of Shankarpur which was opposed by the youths. A local visitor Puraniganj in Munger, Deepak Mishra said over phone “according to the tradition, the immersion of presiding deity takes first as 32 Kahars (professional carriers) carry the idol on their shoulders to the Ganga.”
He claimed the police forced the locals to break the tradition and get all idols immersed by 5 pm on Monday. They told the organisers since the polling would take place on Wednesday, immersion had to be completed by sunset on Monday.
This infuriated the organisers who started pelting stones on the police at Deendayal Chowk. According to the organisers, police resorted to lathi charge and when they dispersed, resorted to indiscriminate firing, killing one and hurting six.
Those admitted in the Sadar hospital at Munger with bullet wounds have been identified as Dabloo Kumar of Kasimnagar, Sanjeev Kumar of Lal Darwaja, Chandan Kumafr of Shyampur. Three have been referred to Bhagalpur.
In the lathi charge allegedly by CRPF, dozens were hurt on their heads too.
The matter took a political twist after Munger police chief Lipi Singh denied charge of firing by police and claimed “some-anti-social elements” had resorted to firing. She alleged an agitated mob attacked the police and fired on the force too. She claimed there was repeated stone throwing on the policemen and they acted with restraint.
According to the police chief, 22 policemen including officers-in-charge of Sangrampur, Kotwali, Kasimbazar, Vasudevpur were injured.
She alleged rumours were being spread that police fired on the people. “Situation is peaceful and some miscreants have been arrested,” she said.
Locals claimed police detained over 100 last night itself and asserted firing was done from the mob side.
What complicated the matter more for the Chief Minister is that SP’s father R C P Singh is national secretary general of JDU. An IAS officer, he was principal secretary to Nitish Kumar before entering politics.
However, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi reacted strongly to the incident and demanded the Election Commission intervention. Guilty should be taken to task, Modi said in a statement.
Another BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Rakesh Sinha said, “Munger’s unfortunate incident could have been prevented. Action must be initiated against the guilty.”
LJP president Chirag Paswan in a statement demanded prosecution of Munger Superintendent of Police under section 302 IPC and be arrested immediately.
Kanhaiya Kumar, CPI leader and former president of JNU Students Union demanded action against the DM and SP for firing on the religious procession. It was unprovoked as people taking shelter behind the effigies were also fired and brutally assaulted.
Kanhaiya claimed four people were killed in the police firing.
The Incidents took place in the localities which are considered peaceful and harmonious. There is no communal angle of the entire incident.
BJP candidate from Munger Pranav Yadav resorted to dharna in protest against police firing. He would take on Mukesh Yadav of RJD in Wednesday’s election.
