Police Firing Incidents, Vigilantism Saddening, Says Govt

The Bihar government today expressed concerns with recent incidents of police firing and brutal assault on a woman and her kins, besides vigilantism by mob in all the incidents.

The police firing in Rohtas and Aurangabad districts in which two persons were killed in each incident besides assault on a woman and her kins in Jehanabad district have been unpleasant to say the least, Minister-incharge Home Department Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said in the Assembly while replying to a debate on the Home Department’s demand for Rs 6,361.74 crore to meet expenditures in 2014-15.

The state government has ordered probe by senior police and administrative officials in all these incidents and strict action would be taken if the police firing on the protesters was found to be unjustified on the basis of detailed report in each incident, he said.

Chaudhary, disapproved the rising cases of vigilantism and expressed concern with mob mentality after occurrence of every incident of murder or related crime in Bihar.

The mob needlessly takes law in their hand and resort to road blockade and violence, besides arson of public properties after occurrence of various crimes, he said adding these incidents of rioting have of late brought disrepute to Bihar. It has been noted that the rioters cause massive damage to public properties, Chaudhary said.

“Such incidents (vigilantism) is a matter of concern to both ruling and opposition lawmakers as well as the civil society,” he said and urged the people to give the police at least 48 hours to probe such incidents and collect material evidences against perpetrators of crimes.

“Due to spontaneous public protest against crime, the criminals give a slip to the police and vital material evidences go missing that makes the task of investigation tough,” he said. The minister appealed the people to keep calm and give time to the police to probe the cases.

During the debate, the Treasury and Opposition lawmakers traded charges over law and order situation in the state with the Leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav questioning Chaudhary’s right to speak on behalf of the Home department being held by Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

The Home Minister in-charge, however, defended his position saying he had been replying on issues related to this department for the past many years with the BJP being part of the state government.

Earlier, introducing a cut proposal by Rs 10 to the Home Department’s demand for expenditure, BJP MLA Vikram Kunwar expressed concern over the spate of crimes in the state and said a spectre of “jungle raj-2” loomed large in Bihar after the ruling JD(U) joined forces with the RJD which had architected “jungle raj-1” in the state for 15 years.

The House later on passed the Home Department’s demand for expenditure by voice vote amid a walk out by the opposition BJP MLAs.

Courtesy: Outlook India