Anti-encroachment drive: Police action leaves many injured in Patna

Patna, July 4 (IANS) The Patna Police on Monday resorted to lathi charge on the protesting residents of Rajiv Nagar, Nepali Nagar and the workers of Jan Adhikar Party (JAP), who had come in their support, on Monday.

More than two dozen persons, including the JAP workers were injured in the lathi charge. They were sitting on dharna with JAP president Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav in Nepali Nagar after Sunday's anti-encroachment drive by the district administration. The local residents claimed that two persons died due to the attack on Sunday night after their houses were demolished by the Patna district administration.

Early on Monday the Patna district administration arrived with more than 20 earth mover machines to carry out the anti-encroachment drive for the second consecutive day.

On Sunday, Chandrashekher Singh, the district magistrate of Patna claimed that the administration had demolished 90 illegal structures. 12 persons, involved in arson and stone pelting on Sunday were arrested. During the drive, the district administration faced stiff resistance from the local residents. The local residents had stored bricks and stones on the rooftops of the buildings. They pelted bricks and stones on the police party, officials of district administration and Bihar Rajya Awas Board. Half a dozen police personnel, including City SP central Ambrish Rahul were injured in the clash.

On Monday morning again a large number of local residents of Rajiv Nagar and Nepali Nagar were assembled. They were joined by Pappu Yadav, who reached there with his supporters and sat in dharna, and resorted to sloganeering -- "Hum Leke rahenge Azadi" -- against the Nitish Kumar government.

Pappu Yadav along with his supporters and the local residents wanted to put the dead bodies on the road and then protest, but the district administration stopped them from doing so.

The officials of district administration and Patna Police appealed to them to stay away from the place. Eventually, the police resorted to lathi charge.

"We are taking action against the protesters. Those who are involved in breaching the peace will be booked," said Manavjeet Singh Dhillon, SSP of Patna police.

The district administration claimed that Rajiv Nagar and Nepali Nagar were developed illegally by land mafias. The registries of lands of these localities have been completely banned. Still, the majority of them have done the registry from other places or took power of attorney of lands. The lands belong to Bihar Rajya Awas Board and local land mafias illegally sold government land to innocent people.

The district administration had served legal notices to every resident to vacate the land a month ago.

Meanwhile, local residents claimed that they have legal registries of the lands and also have been paying municipal taxes, electricity and power bills for more than 20 years. "If the land belongs to Bihar Rajya Awas board, how would we get government facilities like power supply and depositing house tax."

"The government officials, including land record and registry offices, municipal corporation officials, police officials and others for taking bribes from them and allowing construction. The matter is related to corruption and officials are directly responsible for it. When the construction takes place in these areas, why did the law enforcement agencies not stop that?" said Pappu Yadav.