Officials hurt during Biharsharif bandh

BIHARSHARIF: The Nalanda Civic Development Manch-sponsored “Biharsharif bandh� on Tuesday turned violent with a number of people, including Nalanda SP Amit Lodha, local BDO Fateh Faiaz Ahmad and some policemen, receiving serious injuries in the clash between the police and the agitators demanding adequate supply of power and drinking water to the town.
The clash took place when a procession of more than 40,000 agitating people forcibly entered the premises of the local super grid station of Powergrid Corporation by breaking open its gate which was being guarded by policemen. The policemen, in retaliation, made lathicharge, used tear-gas and fired 50 rounds in the air. Provoked by the police firing, the mob resorted to brickbatting in which Lodha, Ahmad and some policemen received serious injuries. Many others were also injured in the police lathicharge.
The Manch had given the call for “total Biharsharif bandh� in protest against the inadequate supply of power and drinking water to the town. Biharsharif town wore a deserted look on Tuesday as traders kept their shops closed. No vehicle plied on the road. Even the Rajgir-bound Shramjeevi Express was forced to stop near the Pawapuri halt railway crossing for about four hours. People from all walks of life, including doctors, engineers, college teachers, businessmen and students, joined the procession.
As the procession moved, the irate agitators damaged several government vehicles, including that of the local circle inspector. On getting the information, Lodha and DM Hukum Singh Meena reached the trouble spot. The agitators threw brickbats at Lodha’s vehicle.
The situation eased to some extend when Meena said that the Biharsharif zonal chief engineer of the BSEB had sent a fax message to him assuring that Biharsharif town would be getting 14 MW of power for the present and that the supply would be enhanced to 25 MW after the installation of a 20 KVA transformer at the local Bari Pahari station.
Manch president Arvind Kumar Sinha and its organiser Ranjeet Prasad Singh said the people of Biharsharif showed exemplary unity during the bandh. The lawyers of the town also abstained from their professional work as a result of which court work remained paralysed for the whole day. The banks, LIC office and other government offices remained closed. Even government employees observed the bandh which evoked an unprecedented response here.
Organisations representing different trades and professions took part in the bandh.