Houses of SC-STs torched in Bihar: Nitish orders action

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday condemned the torching of 34 houses, mostly belonging to SC/ST communities, in Nawada district and asked the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) to visit the site and oversee the probe.

IMAGE: Family members mourn after houses were set on fire, at Krishnanagar in Nawada, Bihar. Photograph: ANI Photo

The police have so far arrested 15 people on Friday, a day after arsonists torched the houses including 21 that were destroyed in the fire at Manjhi Tola area.

Sources from the Chief Minister's Office said, "The CM condemned the incident and instructed the ADG (Law and Order) to monitor the probe on-site."

Kumar also emphasised the need to apprehend all suspects as quickly as possible.

"The CM stressed that those who take the law into their hands must be caught and punished. He directed all district magistrates and superintendents of police across the state to ensure that the rule of law prevails," a senior CMO official said.

Kumar also instructed all DMs and SPs to conduct searches in prisons to check for unlawful activities.

Preliminary investigations indicated that a land dispute may have triggered the violence, which occurred in Manjhi Tola within Mufassil police station area on Wednesday evening.

Nawada District Magistrate Ashutosh Kumar Verma told PTI: "The district police has arrested 15 people for allegedly torching the houses. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the matter, and searches are ongoing to apprehend any remaining suspects."

Verma said that around 34 houses, some of which were semi-pucca, were torched by a group in Manjhi Tola. Senior administrative and police officials will report the exact extent of the damage, he added.

Investigations have revealed that out of a total of 34 houses that were set on fire, 21 were completely destroyed and 13 were damaged partially.

Investigations have also revealed that most of the houses which were set on fire belonged to people belonging to the SC/ST community. The case has also been registered under the Arms Act and SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, said the DM.

It is also suspected that the accused initially fired in the air before setting the houses ablaze, the DM added.

"We are providing relief materials, including food packets and drinking water, to those displaced. Temporary tents have been set up for the victims," he added.

Verma denied claims that cattle were charred in the incident, stating no evidence has been found to support that.

Following the incident, Nawada SP Abhinav Dhiman had said, "A call was received around 7 pm regarding the fire in Manjhi Tola. Police reached promptly with fire engines and extinguished the blaze."

Meanwhile, the incident has triggered a political slugfest between the ruling alliance partners of the NDA government in the state and the opposition.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, said in a post on X: 'Respected, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi Ji, houses of Dalits have been set on fire under your double engine government in Bihar. The PM must say a few words on this Mangalraj' as whatever is happening is all because of the will of almighty God and the NDA leaders have no control over this.'

Yadav said the PM should also say why Nitish Kumar, chief of the Janata Dal-U which is National Democratic Alliance's third-largest constituent, has stopped saying anything on such incidents.

Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, state minister and a key aide of Bihar CM, condemned the incident on Wednesday.

The CM has already made it clear that whosoever is involved in the incident, will not be spared, he said.

Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said, I spoke to Nawada's DM and SP in connection with the incident. It's a highly condemnable incident. Most of the criminals involved in the incident have been arrested and those who are absconding will soon be put behind bars.

The founder of Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular, an alliance partner of the NDA, said he would visit the place on September 22.

He alleged that opposition leaders are indulging in theatrics over the incident.

Manjhi said, The opposition people first get the Dalits tortured and then question the working style of the government. Around 90 per cent of the people arrested in the Nawada incident belong to a particular caste and are RJD supporters. Will Rahul Gandhi now say something on this or will he remain silent?