June 3: Vandalism spread to new areas in the state today as people turned up in large numbers to protest against the murder of Brahmeshwar Singh “Mukhiya”, while Governor Devanand Konwar sought a report from the Bihar government on the law and order situation.
Confirming the development, the principal secretary, home, Amir Subhani told The Telegraph: “Yes, the governor has sought a report from the government. It is being prepared. It will be sent to him soon.”
Sources said the Union home ministry asked Konwar to seek a report from the government in the wake of the large-scale violence on the trail of Singh’s funeral procession from Ara to Buxar.
The raging anger over the murder of Singh was, however, palpable in some pockets of the state. Supporters of the former chief of the now defunct Ranvir Sena, who was shot dead at Katira in Ara town on Friday morning, called a bandh in Sheikhpura, Jehanabad and Arwal districts, considered a stronghold of the outfit. The Sena sympathisers blocked roads and disrupted rail services for a few hours at Barahiya in Sheikhpura and Barh-Mokama in Patna.
The bandh was called under the aegis of Akhil Bhartiya Rashtrawadi Kisan Sangathan, which was set up by Singh recently. His supporters unbolted fishplates of railway tracks near Jehanabad station and placed boulders on the tracks leading to disruption of train movement on Patna-Gaya section.
Railway officials said traffic on the section remained paralysed for nearly three hours in the morning.
The bandh supporters also burnt the effigy of chief minister Nitish Kumar at Senari in Jehanabad and shouted anti-government slogans. The protesters also set a few thatched roof huts in Makhdumpur on fire and attacked six vehicles, including a truck and private vehicles, near Kasma village on Jehanabad-Arwal Road.
The bandh enforcers smashed windscreens of vehicles and did not even allow the motorcycles or autorickshaws to ply on the road.
At Raja Bazaar in Jehanabad, the bandh supporters clashed with the residents, including businessmen. They also looted roadside vendors.
Most of the business establishments, including medical stores, remained closed in Jehanabad and Arwal. Fear-struck residents remained indoors throughout the day.
The bandh supporters also blocked Rafiganj-Goh Road near Dadar village, demanding a CBI probe into the killing of “Mukhiya”.
At Barahia in Lakhisarai, Singh’s supporters stopped five trains, including Patliputra Express and Upper India Express. They also blocked NH-80 and paralysed the movement of vehicles for about three hours. The blockade was lifted and traffic was restored after the intervention of senior police officers.
In Aurangabad, a group of Sena sympathisers opened fire on a police team when the latter arrived at Pijay village under Budhwa police station on Sunday morning. The police went to the village after getting information about the congregation of armed men. No one was injured.
The police, however, denied any incident of violence.
“There is no report of any major incident of violence from any part of the district during the day,” said acting deputy inspector-general of Magadh range Ajitabh Kumar.
Director-general of police (DGP) Abhayanand called an emergency meeting to review the situation in the state after reports of widespread violence reached the state police headquarters. After the meeting, the police headquarters issued a directive to all superintendents of police to initiate stern action against those trying to take law in their hands. “Those damaging public or private property should be dealt with sternly,” the DGP’s directive said.
Patna senior superintendent of police Amrit Raj also convened a meeting this evening to assess the damage caused by the sympathisers of Ranvir Sena during the funeral procession of “Mukhiya” yesterday.
The police have decided to initiate action against the vandals after ascertaining their identity with the help of video footage.
