Patna: A spurt in alleged criminal activities in the state, has moved the Opposition in Bihar to dub the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United)-Rashtriya Janata Dal government in the state as “Jungle Raj 2”.
“Nitish ji chose Lalu ji [RJD chief and former Bihar CM] over us [a reference to JD(U) parting ways with the Bharatiya Janta Party last year]. He forgot that Lalu ji comes along with Jungle Raj. This is Jungle Raj 2,” alleged Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary, while talking to ThePrint Tuesday.
The law and order situation in Bihar has been repeatedly called into question in the past week, with reports of two alleged murders — in the state’s Araria and Begusarai districts — and alleged miscreants opening fire at a restaurant in Muzaffarpur Saturday.
A purported video of the restaurant shootout case, which went viral on social media, appears to show some people celebrating a birthday at the restaurant, when four alleged miscreants arrive there and appear to open fire. CCTV footage of the incident reportedly shows people taking shelter behind furniture as 20 rounds are fired in about 20 seconds.
“The criminals wanted to create terror. We will take action after the CCTV footage is scrutinised,” superintendent of police (SP), Muzaffarpur, A.K. Singh told ThePrint.
A day later, another video, purportedly of a woman waving two guns while riding pillion on a bike, went viral on social media, again raising questions about the law and order situation in Bihar. The video was purportedly shot on the JP Ganga Pathway in Patna, which is often compared to Mumbai’s Marine Drive.
“The lack of respect for law and order has alarmed citizens. It [the situation] looks scary,” remarked former Bihar deputy general of police (DGP) Abhyanand (who uses a single name only).
Ironically, when Nitish Kumar had been in the Opposition during the late-1990s-early-2000s, he would often dub the government under former chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi as “Rakshas Raj [demon rule]” because of the alleged lack of law and order. Now the criticism seems to have come back to haunt him.
On 18 August, the Bihar CM, back from a visit to Delhi claimed that the “crime situation in Bihar is under control. The crime figures in other states is much higher”.
Party leaders speaking on condition of anonymity conceded, however, that the situation in the state was “alarming”.
“You may bring out statistics to prove otherwise, but in public perception, Nitish ji is losing the battle,” a senior JD(U) leader told ThePrint.
The Bihar police are yet to issue a statement on the incidents of the past few days.
ThePrint checked Bihar’s State Crime Records Bureau for the latest crime statistics in the state, but found that the last entry was dated 2021.
ThePrint also reached ADG-ranked officer, J.S. Gangwar, who is also the spokesperson for the state police headquarters, on the absence of updated crime data on the State Crime Records Bureau website, but received no response till the time of publication of this report.
Meanwhile additional chief secretary, home department, S. Sidhharth’s mobile was found to be switched off. The report will be updated once a response is received from either of them.
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‘Many things are written in law’
On 18 August journalist Vimal Kumar Yadav was shot dead in front of his house in Araria district. He was a witness in the murder case of his elder brother Neeraj, who was allegedly killed over a land dispute two years back.
The police have so far arrested four people in Yadav’s case. Members of the late journalist have reportedly claimed that he had expressed a fear for his life to the local police, but received no protection.
On 20 August, Jawahar Choudhary a retired teacher in Begusarai district was shot dead while he was on his morning walk. He had been a witness in the murder case of his son Neeraj, killed two years ago. Choudhury’s family too has reportedly claimed that he had expressed a fear for his life, but received no police protection.
During the past 10 days, Bihar has also reported the killing of a junior police officer in Samastipur, a contractor in Motihari, among others.
“It is not surprising that crime is taking place. What should worry the police is the manner in which the crime is being executed [in broad daylight],” said a retired IPS officer, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Police sources told ThePrint that Amir Subhani, chief secretary to the Bihar government, had put in place a witness protection programme while he served as the principal secretary, the home department (till 2021).
“There is a Police Witness Protection program. But many things are written in law. The question is if they are being followed”, said former DGP Abhyanand.
Meanwhile, the BJP has been targeting the Nitish government over the law and order situation in Bihar.
“Contractors, teachers, and journalists are being killed. Nitish Kumar has lost control over policing”, said the BJP’s Samrat Choudhary.
The ruling JD(U), on its part, has expressed displeasure over senior BJP leader Sanjay Jaiswal allegedly comparing the conditions in Bihar to that in Pakistan. The BJP leader had allegedly said that the “condition of Bihar has become worse than that of Pakistan”.
Hitting out at the BJP leader, JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, told the media that “he should tender an apology, the police takes action whenever crime takes place”.
The last time police headquarters addressed a press meet on law and order statistics was in December 2021, sources said,
At that time, ADG (headquarters) Gangwar had reportedly held a press conference to dispel the prevalent perception about a spurt in crime in the state and quoted 2019 National Crime Records Bureau data to claim that when it came to a percentage share of crimes in the national total, Bihar was placed fifth, behind states like Tripura, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The rate of total cognizable crime (under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code) in Bihar was 164.8, as against the national rate of 241.2.
“However, after this press conference, Bihar police did not update the crime figures on its website. It’s not that the police headquarters do not have the new figures. There appears to be a fear that the release of fresh figures will have the Opposition attacking the regime,” remarked an ADG rank officer on condition of anonymity.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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