Six persons injured in clash with cops at Ara Muffasil PS in Bhojpur

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : Six persons were injured in a pitched battle with police on Ara Muffasil police station premises around 9.30 pm on May 19, 2019, after police arrested and allegedly thrashed Chandan Pandey, son of a BJP worker, after he had a scuffle with cops at Ramapura Sanadia booth under the police station. The injured were admitted to Ara Sadar Hospital.

BJP candidate from Ara parliamentary constituency and Union Minister  Raj Kumar Singh, former Deputy Speaker, Bihar Legislative Assembly, Amrendra Pratap Singh, former minister Raghwendra Pratap Singh along with hundreds of their supporters reached Ara Muffasil police station and demanded removal of Station House Officer (SHO), Ravindra Ram.

Bhojpur DM Sanjeev Kumar, SP Aditya Kumar, SDPO Pankaj Kumar, SDO Arun Prakash, Patna Zone IG Sunil Kumar, DIG, Shahabad Range, Pankaj  Kumar Rathi, also reached Ara Muffassil police station as tension prevailed in the area after the incident. Police, however, said that situation is well under control though force had been deployed in the area.

SHO, Ara Muffasil police station, Ravindra Ram said that police arrested two persons including Chandan Pandey, son of Daya Shankar Pandey, a BJP worker, after he had a scuffle with cops at Ramapura Sanadia booth under Ara Muffasil, police station on May 19 and brought him over to Ara Muffasil police station in the evening the same day. Around 8pm, some BJP activists entered the police station and tried to free Chandan Pandey and when police objected to it, they fought with them besides heckling them. He said that police tried to shoo them away but failed in their efforts after which they used mild force in which some activists were injured.

Chandan Pandey alleged that an SI was forcing voters to cast votes in favour of UPA candidate and so he protested and complained to the SHO, Ara Muffasil police station, who was  present there but the SHO arrested him and his associate instead and brought them to Ara Muffasil police station and thrashed him.

When the matter came to light, hundreds of BJP activists including Sandeep Kumar Mantoo, PA to Raj Kumar Singh, rushed to the police station and tried to free Chandan Pandey and his associate. At this, the SHO allegedly fired on Sandeep Kumar Mantoo but he had a narrow escape. Police also thrashed the activists in which at least half a dozen activists including Shambhu Chaurasia were injured. Irate BJP activists blocked Ara-Buxar main road at the gate of Ara Muffasil police station  paralysing the movement of vehicles for about two hours. They demanded removal of the SHO before the counting of the votes. The blockade was lifted after positive response from Zonal IG, Patna, Sunil Kumar. IG Sunil Kumar denied firing by police and said that he got Chandan Kumar Pandey and others released on PR bond.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate from Ara parliamentary constituency, Raj Kumar Singh, demanded dismissal of the SHO, Ara Muffasil police station, and transfer of Bhojpur DM and SP before counting of votes saying EVMs are not safe under their custody. He said that some officials of Bhojpur district administration are harassing BJP activists unnecessarily and he talked to CM Nitish Kumar, Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, BJP State president Nityanand Rai in this regard. Singh said he would sit on fast during counting of votes if his demand were not conceded.