Bihar Houses Set On Fire, Women Say Cop Abused Them When They Complained

A violent clash erupted between the public and the police in Bihar's Supaul district on Thursday afternoon, after a group of Mahadalits protested against alleged inaction in a complaint that several houses belonging to them were set ablaze by unknown men.

The developments took place in Triveniganj, where several residents of a Mahadalit colony claimed their houses were set on fire by a group of men on Wednesday evening. They said the incident took place in ward number 20 of Triveniganj Municipal Council area.

According to the protesters, a group of women were verbally abused and chased away by Triveniganj police station in-charge Ramsevak Rawat, when they tried to register a complaint on Thursday morning. 

They alleged that after they gheraoed the police station in protest, police resorted to lathi charge to dismiss the gathering. Women and elderly people were beaten up by the cops, they said.

The residents later shifted their protest and staged a roadblock on a national highway, near Badi Durga Temple. They demanded the removal of Mr Rawat from his post.

Police, however, alleged some of the protesters hurled stones at them, when they arrived to clear the site.

The crowd was dispersed using mild force and the site was cleared for vehicular movement,  Supaul Superintendent of Police said in a statement.

Triveniganj Sub-divisional Police Officer Vipin Kumar said three cops were injured in the attack. "An additional police force reached the spot and brought the situation under control after lathi charge. A case has been registered in connection with the incident," he said.

Three people have been arrested and two women have been detained so far, he added.

The local residents, meanwhile, accused the police of misbehaviour and corruption in most cases. 

Pappu Kumar, councilor of Latauna Ward 13 under Municipal Council Triveniganj, alleged he was abused and threatened with imprisonment over a land dispute. 

Sonam Devi, who lives in Malhanma ward number 7 under the same police station area, alleged police inaction after she was allegedly assaulted by her neighbours.