At least 50 Maoist guerrillas attacked a Bihar village and brutally gunned down 16 people, including five children, after tying their hands and legs, police said Friday as the issue gained political overtones with demands for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's resignation.
The incident, which appeared to be a dispute over land, took place late Thursday in Amausi village in Khagaria district, about 200 km north of Patna.
Villagers told police that the guerrillas had tied the hands and legs of the victims before shooting them dead.
Eleven people have been detained and are being interrogated.
'During raids, we have detained 11 people suspected to be involved in the incident,' Bhagalpur Inspector General of Police (IGP) A.R. Kinni told.
Bihar police chief Anand Shankar added that the priority was to arrest those involved in the incident.
'Over 50 armed Maoist rebels attacked Amausi village and shot dead 16 villagers, including five children,' Deputy Superintendent of Police Ajay Pandey said, adding that the killing appeared to be over a land dispute but that the police were still investigating.
'All senior district officials are camping in the village and security forces have been deployed. The Special Task Force along with district police have launched combing operations against Maoists in Khagaria,' Pandey added.
Nitish Kumar condemned the incident and asked top officials of the state administration to investigate.
'It is a shocking incident and should be condemned by one and all,' the chief minister said, while announcing compensation of Rs.150,000 to the families of each victim.
He said Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and Director General of Police Anand Shankar would visit the village later Friday.
The incident prompted opposition Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan to demand Nitish Kumar's resignation.
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad also targeted Nitish Kumar by saying the state government had failed to curb the spread of Maoists.
Lalu Prasad said it was not a caste massacre but a killing by Maoists.
He added that his party leaders had rushed to the village and so should Nitish Kumar.link
Friday 2 October 2009
Wednesday 30 September 2009
Not any women special police station in Bihar
Women in Bihar still fear lodging a case with a male-dominated police station. To date there is no exclusive police station for women in Bihar where they can lodge their complaints.
Out of the 881 police stations in Bihar, there is not a single separate police station for women. CM Nitish Kumar had initiated a number of measures to ensure women's empowerment, the first being reservation of 50 per cent posts for them in the Panchayati Raj institutions and local bodies.
In a RTI query, state police headquarters admitted there is not a single women police station in Bihar. Out of the 881 police stations, there are only 10 separate police stations for scheduled castes in the state.
The proposal for setting up separate women police stations one each at Patna, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Gaya are still under consideration. The home department, in its annual report tabled in the state legislature in the last monsoon session, said that the government is committed to set up separate police stations for women so that they could lodge their complaints without any fear.
The government was also committed to set up psychological support center and helpline exclusively for women and children.
Incidentally, the government report suggests that incidents of atrocities on women in Bihar witnessed a rise in 2008 especially in the cases related to abduction, dowry-related deaths, molestation, eve-teasing and rape.
According to the figures compiled by the state police headquarters, as many as 6,186 cases of atrocities (1,041 incidents related to rape, 1,494 kidnapping, 1,233 murder for dowry, 2,230 dowry harassment and 188 cases of eve-teasing and molestation) were registered against women across Bihar in 2008.
A comparative study of the figures available clearly indicates there was increase in such incidents in 2008 compared to the corresponding period the previous year. While 1,012 cases were registered in connection with kidnapping of women in 2007, the number went up to 1,494 in 2008.
The number of dowry death rose from 1,226 in 2007 to 1,233 in 2008. Similarly, cases of atrocities perpetrated on women for dowry rose to 2,230 in 2008 from 1,493 in 2007.
Cases relating to eve-teasing and molestation shot up to 188 during 2008, 20 more than the previous year. The recent disrobing of a woman in Patna in full public view on the busy Exhibition Road had put the NDA government on the back foot. CM Nitish Kumar had described the stripping of the woman in public view as a slur on a civilized society.link
Out of the 881 police stations in Bihar, there is not a single separate police station for women. CM Nitish Kumar had initiated a number of measures to ensure women's empowerment, the first being reservation of 50 per cent posts for them in the Panchayati Raj institutions and local bodies.
In a RTI query, state police headquarters admitted there is not a single women police station in Bihar. Out of the 881 police stations, there are only 10 separate police stations for scheduled castes in the state.
The proposal for setting up separate women police stations one each at Patna, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Gaya are still under consideration. The home department, in its annual report tabled in the state legislature in the last monsoon session, said that the government is committed to set up separate police stations for women so that they could lodge their complaints without any fear.
The government was also committed to set up psychological support center and helpline exclusively for women and children.
Incidentally, the government report suggests that incidents of atrocities on women in Bihar witnessed a rise in 2008 especially in the cases related to abduction, dowry-related deaths, molestation, eve-teasing and rape.
According to the figures compiled by the state police headquarters, as many as 6,186 cases of atrocities (1,041 incidents related to rape, 1,494 kidnapping, 1,233 murder for dowry, 2,230 dowry harassment and 188 cases of eve-teasing and molestation) were registered against women across Bihar in 2008.
A comparative study of the figures available clearly indicates there was increase in such incidents in 2008 compared to the corresponding period the previous year. While 1,012 cases were registered in connection with kidnapping of women in 2007, the number went up to 1,494 in 2008.
The number of dowry death rose from 1,226 in 2007 to 1,233 in 2008. Similarly, cases of atrocities perpetrated on women for dowry rose to 2,230 in 2008 from 1,493 in 2007.
Cases relating to eve-teasing and molestation shot up to 188 during 2008, 20 more than the previous year. The recent disrobing of a woman in Patna in full public view on the busy Exhibition Road had put the NDA government on the back foot. CM Nitish Kumar had described the stripping of the woman in public view as a slur on a civilized society.link
Monday 28 September 2009
National Institute of Design to overhaul Patna museum
Government of Bihar has approached National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad to overhaul Patna museum. Department of culture and youth, Bihar has approached NID to take up the project. Two faculty members Anil Sinha, senior faculty in graphic design and co-ordinator of NID's design consulting services and Mihir Bholey, faculty of interdisciplinary design studies, recently visited Patna to conduct a two-day workshop with historians, archaeologists, academicians, architects, museologists and senior bureaucrats.
Bihar government approached the institute for this project soon after NID designed a logo for Bihar Tourism. "I had visited the museum and done a detailed study of the building, its spaces and the display currently given to things. The workshop covered all aspects of current condition of the museum, right from the entrance and window ticket to the use of natural and artificial lights and porches," said Sinha.
"The presentation was divided into two distinct parts. I covered design part of the museum and Bholey covered the communication aspect. In the workshop, there was a lot of criticism about the condition of things in the museum and authorities took it well," added Sinha. Their recommendations included arranging artefacts in a story form.link
Bihar government approached the institute for this project soon after NID designed a logo for Bihar Tourism. "I had visited the museum and done a detailed study of the building, its spaces and the display currently given to things. The workshop covered all aspects of current condition of the museum, right from the entrance and window ticket to the use of natural and artificial lights and porches," said Sinha.
"The presentation was divided into two distinct parts. I covered design part of the museum and Bholey covered the communication aspect. In the workshop, there was a lot of criticism about the condition of things in the museum and authorities took it well," added Sinha. Their recommendations included arranging artefacts in a story form.link
Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari's nephew held for murder
Superstar of Bhojpuri cinema Manoj Tiwari's nephew Rakesh Tiwari was arrested for allegedly killing a woman in Bihar's Kaimur district, police said Monday.
Rakesh, accused of killing young married woman Punam Devi, was arrested late Sunday night, a police officer said.
Rakesh allegedly killed Punam after she refused his overtures. "Some villagers told police that Punam was against the relationship. This angered Rakesh and he killed her," the officer added.
Punam was found dead on Sep 24 in her parents' house in Kaimur district. Rakesh had denied his involvement in the murder case. link
Rakesh, accused of killing young married woman Punam Devi, was arrested late Sunday night, a police officer said.
Rakesh allegedly killed Punam after she refused his overtures. "Some villagers told police that Punam was against the relationship. This angered Rakesh and he killed her," the officer added.
Punam was found dead on Sep 24 in her parents' house in Kaimur district. Rakesh had denied his involvement in the murder case. link
Friday 25 September 2009
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar orders probe into police high-handedness
Following allegations of high-handed attitude of police at a village in Buxar district, a probe was today ordered by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
A complaint was made to the Inspector General of Police ( Patna Zone) seeking legal action against policemen who allegedly assaulted residents of Mukundpur village yesterday when they went to arrest a man named in an FIR for atrocities on a woman, official sources said.
Angry villagers had attacked the policemen, injuring two, leading to retaliation by the authorities, the sources said.link
A complaint was made to the Inspector General of Police ( Patna Zone) seeking legal action against policemen who allegedly assaulted residents of Mukundpur village yesterday when they went to arrest a man named in an FIR for atrocities on a woman, official sources said.
Angry villagers had attacked the policemen, injuring two, leading to retaliation by the authorities, the sources said.link
Thursday 24 September 2009
Security alert for Durga Puja in Bihar
High security alert has been sounded in Bihar ahead of Durga puja to ensure peace and harmony in communally sensitive areas of the state.
Patrolling has been intensified in communally sensitive areas. Two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) have taken position in Patna and Bhagalpur, Additional Director General of Police (headquarters) Neelmani told reporters.
In more communally-sensitive areas, the RAF would stage flag march once in a day to instill confidence among the people, while extra security arrangements have been made to protect all vital installations, including properties of the Railways and Centre.
Besides, patrolling has also been intensified in communally-sensitive pockets in Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Madhubani and West Champaran districts.
Static deployment of Bihar Military Police and district armed police personnel has been made in vulnerable areas to prevent any untoward incident, he said.link
Patrolling has been intensified in communally sensitive areas. Two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) have taken position in Patna and Bhagalpur, Additional Director General of Police (headquarters) Neelmani told reporters.
In more communally-sensitive areas, the RAF would stage flag march once in a day to instill confidence among the people, while extra security arrangements have been made to protect all vital installations, including properties of the Railways and Centre.
Besides, patrolling has also been intensified in communally-sensitive pockets in Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Madhubani and West Champaran districts.
Static deployment of Bihar Military Police and district armed police personnel has been made in vulnerable areas to prevent any untoward incident, he said.link
Tuesday 22 September 2009
Nitish orders probe into rumours about mehendi and milk
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said vested interests were behind spread of rumours of skin rashes after applying 'mehendi' and contamination of milk supplied by a state-run diary firm and asked the police to go into the matter.
"The rumours have been fanned by vested interests to spike the festive spirit on the occasion of Eid....The milk pouches have been found contamination-free," Kumar said adding that it seemed to be part of a bigger conspiracy.
The Chief Minister has asked the ADG (headquarters) Neelmani to thoroughly investigate it and bring the guilty to book.
With rumours about supply of contaminated milk, angry residents had yesterday destroyed hundreds of pouches of milk manufactured by a state-run dairy firm.link
"The rumours have been fanned by vested interests to spike the festive spirit on the occasion of Eid....The milk pouches have been found contamination-free," Kumar said adding that it seemed to be part of a bigger conspiracy.
The Chief Minister has asked the ADG (headquarters) Neelmani to thoroughly investigate it and bring the guilty to book.
With rumours about supply of contaminated milk, angry residents had yesterday destroyed hundreds of pouches of milk manufactured by a state-run dairy firm.link
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
