Bihar govt seeks report from Katihar DM, SP on police firing that killed two persons

Addressing a press conference, Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) JS Gangwar said a joint investigation report has been sought on the incident, and the two officers have been asked to submit it at the earliest.

Patna:The Bihar government on Thursday sought a report from the district magistrate (DM) and the SP of Katihar district where two persons were killed in police firing, a senior official said. Addressing a press conference, Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) JS Gangwar said a joint investigation report has been sought on the incident, and the two officers have been asked to submit it at the earliest.

"The situation in the Barsoi police station area where the incident happened is completely under control. Adequate security forces have been deployed in the area to check any untoward incident," he said.

Among those injured were nine police personnel and six power department employees, they said. The CPI(ML) Liberation, which is a part of the ruling Mahagathbandhan but supports the Nitish Kumar government from the outside, on Thursday criticised the police action against the protestors. It sent a delegation led by MLA Sudama Prasad to Barsoi to "probe the matter".

Two persons were killed and several others injured as police opened fire on Wednesday following stone-pelting by protesters who were demanding better power supply, officials said.

“People pelted stones and vandalised the office of the Electricity Department. Two people died and several others were injured in this incident", the Superintendent of Police of Katihar said. The police official further said that the mob “attacked” the police.

In the Barsoi subdivision, on Wednesday afternoon, a large number of people had come to lay siege to the electricity office over the long cuts in power supply. However, the police opened fire to control the situation. (With agency Inputs)