PATNA: A new video of firing and police baton-charge on devotees in Munger surfaced on Wednesday, giving the opposition fresh ammunition to attack the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar.
In the video, the devotees are seen having an altercation with the police personnel. Suddenly sounds of firing are heard and the devotees and those carrying the Goddess Durga idol lie on the road around the idol to save their lives. As the firing sound stops, a group of policemen arrive at the spot and thrash the devotees using batons. Some of the baton wielders are seen in civilian clothes.
Sources have said that some unidentified persons first fired at the devotees following which the police are also said to have fired in retaliation.
The incident happened in the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Chowk of Munger at 11.30 p.m. on Monday during the immersion procession of 'Badi Ma Durga' in Munger district. As per the tradition in Munger, the idol of Badi Ma Durga was transported by 32 persons called "Kahar" in local parlance till the bank of the river.
As the polling for all three constituencies of Munger district was in the first phase on Wednesday, the local administration wanted the rituals and the procession to be completed speedily. This led to an altercation between the police party and the devotees which soon turned violent. The police resorted to a lathi-charge in a bid to disperse the huge gathering, when shots were fired by some unidentified persons, said police.
According to the police, a person named Anurag Kumar (22) lost his life.
Meanwhile, Mahagathbandhan leaders have initiated a #Munger Narsanhaar campaign to attack the NDA.
Pawan Khera, the national spokesman of the Congress party said: "The PM is visiting Bihar for his election rallies. He should speak up on the heart-breaking incident and dismiss the Nitish Kumar government with immediate effect."
After the new video surfaced, Kanhaiya Kumar, a Left party leader and former JNU president, demanded a judicial probe and quick action against the police personnel. He said that 'as per the local residents four persons died in this incident'.
Tejashwi Yadav also slammed the Nitish Kumar government and hit out at the police also.
Chirag Paswan, the national president of the Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP), also targeted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and said: "Munger incident gives impression of General Dyer's Jalianwala Bagh incident. CM is playing the role of General Dyer and the SP of Munger Lipi Singh is a daughter of his closest friend. CM is directly involved in this incident."