Residents burn tyres at Gurhatta Chowk in Bhagalpur in protest against the power crisis. Picture by Amit Kumar

Bhagalpur, March 26: Irate residents at Bhagalpur today torched Mozhidpur power station and vandalised Vikramshila Express at Bhagalpur railway station to protest the acute power crisis here.

The ongoing power crisis virtually put Bhagalpur on a powder keg. The city witnessed several incidents in which peeved residents torched public vehicles. District magistrate Narmadeshwar Lal and Bhagalpur superintendent of police Sanjay Singh had a narrow escape when the unruly mob started hurling brickbats on the officials.

Normal life was completely disrupted after residents, which included a sizeable number of women and children, blocked roads in every locality since last evening. They vent their ire by burning tyres, squatting on the roads and blocking them with household items to protest the power crisis.

Dozens of agitators sustained serious injuries during a lathicharge by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Bhagalpur railway station. Police sources, however, confirmed that five persons have been detained by RPF. The mob also torched the BSEB’s Tilkamanjhi circle office at Kachari Chowk. The Bhagalpur DM claimed the situation was tensed but under control.

Markets and other establishments remained shut to express solidarity with the agitators, while many students in schools like Mount Carmel, St Joseph remained trapped with school buses not being allowed to ply to reach them home from the schools. Police were nowhere to be seen on the streets, while administrative officials preferred to avoid the media.

Bhagalpur district Congress committee has called for a dusk-to-dawn bandh on March 29 to protest the ongoing power crisis. “That’s enough, ministers and officials at Patna are enjoying the comfort of AC and people in Bhagalpur do not have a single drop of drinking water,” said senior Congress leader Ajit Sharma.

State health minister Ashwini Choubey, who also represents Bhagalpur, however has held the central government responsible for such poor power condition across Bihar. “We have already signed MoUs with private power companies but the central government has queered the pitch for allotting coal linkages,” he alleged.

The DM reportedly has sent an SoS to the state headquarters, while Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB), Bhagalpur range, general manager K.N. Singh also sent an SoS to state headquarters. A group of more than 300 housewives from across the city today laid siege to Singh’s office but Singh managed to escape in the nick of time.

JLNMC Hospital superintendent Binod Prasad expressed serious concern over the ongoing power crisis. “Due to the horrible situation, we have decided to close the hospital because patients have become the worst sufferers,” he said.

According to BSEB sources, of the total requirement of 60MW, Bhagalpur has been receiving only 1-7MW for the past one-and-a-half months. Sources blamed central power dispatch, Patna for the problem.

The power crisis has hampered operations in the silk industry here. Not a single district and BSEB official concerned was available for comment despite repeated attempts.

The health minister said the state government has ordered the BSEB to provide 30MW power supply to Bhagalpur. He has appealed the people of the city not to indulge in vandalism and not to destroy government and public property.

A musical soiree slated to be held at Lajpat Park grounds was postponed owing to the disturbances.