Patna: A day after police firing in Bihar’s Katihar’s district left two dead and one injured, the victims’ families held the district administration for the incident.
“Were the victims who died in police firing were terrorists,?” they asked the state government.
Monu Kumar, the brother of one of the deceased Sonu Kumar, said: “My brother
was not a terrorist but he was killed in a police firing. He sustained a gunshot injury on his forehead. In his dying statement, he said that police had opened fire on him and others from a close range.”
“When stone pelting started at the office of the electricity department, I was present there. I work as a service agent in the electricity office and my brother came to rescue me. I was struck in the office following stone pelting. The police initially resorted to lathi charge and then fired in the air. They finally fired on the protesters leaving two dead and oneinjured. My brother Sonu Kumar is one of them,”
Monu said.
Another woman who lost his brother said: “Nitish Kumar should tell whether my brother was a terrorist? I will approach the Prime Minister to get justice. The district police and officers are responsible for it. Will not let anyone go scot-free.”
Following the incident of Barsoi in Katihar district, not only BJP but the leaders of Mahagathbandhan are also asking questions from the state government.
Sakaeel Ahmed Khan, the Congress MLA from Katihar and CLP leader said: “The
district police have fired at point blank range. When the agitation started, why was the district administration not prepared for it? The people living there are facing a harrowing time due to erratic power supply. The heat and humidity is high in the region and you are firing at them. This a failure of district intelligence, police and civil administration. I demand that the government provide adequate compensation to the victims’ families.”
Mahboob Alam, the MLA of CPIML said: “It is a failure of the state government. It is responsible for firing on innocent people. Why weren’t the district police not prepared to control large crowds? The police fired at an innocent boy who was running to save himself. He sustained a head injury. Who fired those shots? It should be
investigated thoroughly. I condemn this incident in the strongest possible
manner.”
–IANS