This Article is From Apr 14, 2016

Protesting Against Police, Ruling Bihar Legislator Blocks National Highway

Protesting Against Police, Ruling Bihar Legislator Blocks National Highway

Saroj Yadav has demanded more arrests and a quick trial in a case of molestation of his sister.

Even though it's a common way of protest in the state, Bihar saw a roadblock like no other on Tuesday.

A crucial national highway near capital city Patna was blocked for hours, not by the Opposition or groups critical of the government, but by a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator Saroj Yadav, whose party is part of the ruling coalition.

Mr Yadav was protesting against what he termed police inaction over an alleged sexual assault on his sister on Monday.

His sister died on Tuesday while the protest was on. She was travelling in an autorickshaw near her village in Bhojpur on Monday when the assault allegedly took place. "I am a ruling party MLA and yet my family is not safe," Mr Yadav had said on Tuesday.

While two people have surrendered in the case, alleging that more people were involved, Mr Yadav has demanded more arrests and a quick trial.

The Opposition BJP, which lost a high-strung battle for the state in elections last year, said it's the biggest evidence yet, that 'Jungle Raj' or lawlessness is back in Bihar. "This is a thing to worry that a MLA's sister died after being assaulted (and thrown out of autorickshaw). This is a serious issue. People are insecure here. I don't know that the government is doing," said senior Bihar BJP leader Sushil Modi.

In the four months that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been in power with RJD chief Lalu Yadav's support in Bihar, the state has seen a series of high profile crimes. In December last year, two road engineers were shot dead in Darbhanga in a case of extortion.

In March, an RJD legislator was accused of kidnapping and raping a minor girl. He surrendered after being on the run for over a month

With each crime, Nitish Kumar's track record of law and order when he was in power with the BJP for over eight years starting 2005, has been dented.

So far there has been no defence by anyone in the ruling coalition for this latest incident. "This should not have happened with her. This is very unfortunate. The government must look into this matter," said Rabri Devi, former Chief Minister and RJD leader.
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