PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has decided to review the law and order situation in the state at a high-level meeting with senior police officials on February 9. Ths comes close on the heels of a series of robbery in jewellery shops in Patna and other districts.
Law and order had been the USP of the NDA government led Nitish ever since it came to power in November 2005. Frequent incidents of loot in jewellery shops forced jewellers to keep their shutters down and seek police protection. In Patna, jewellers demanded arms licenses to take on the criminals targeting one shop after another. Gopalganj and East Champaran districts also witnessed a number incidents.
A trader from Begusarai was so unhappy with the police that he sought the CM’s intervention to rein in the criminals. He was threatened with dire consequences for his failure to pay extortion money. Also, there have been a number of murders, of panchayat representatives, particularly mukhiyas. At least six mukhiyas have been killed in the state since last November. A delegation of newly-elected mukhiyas met state panchayati raj department minister Samrat Choudhary and DGP S K Singhal last week to voice their concern.
Attacks on police personnel during operation across the state is yet another cause of concern. A sub-inspector lost his life after a mob attack in Aurangabad district. Police records show that last month, 15-20 incidents of attack on police teams took place. More than 30 policemen suffered injuries.
Opposition parties have blamed the state government for its failure to check crime and alleged that the focus of the police has shifted from maintenance of law and order to prohibition. “There is complete breakdown of law and order in Bihar,” alleged RJD spokesperson Mrintunjay Tiwary. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief, MP Chirag Paswan said the same.
