Nawada: Twenty-one houses were set on fire in Bihar’s Nawada district on Wednesday evening, police said.
Preliminary investigation suggested that a land dispute could be the cause behind the incident that happened in Manjhi Tola in Mufassil police station area, they said.
Ten people were detained, and a search was on to nab the other accused persons, police said.
“A call was received around 7.30 pm that some houses were set on fire in Manjhi Tola. Police immediately reached the spot along with fire engines. It took some time to douse the blaze. According to villagers, a group of people started setting the houses on fire around 7 pm,” said SP Abhinav Dhiman who also visited the area.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that land dispute is the reason for the incident. A case has been registered and an investigation is underway,” he said.
Another police officer said shots were also fired in the air when the houses were being torched.
Dhiman said the situation was now under control and a large contingent of the police was deployed in the area to prevent any flare-up.
Attacking the Nitish Kumar-led government, RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged “jungle-raj” in Bihar and said that atrocities on Dalits will not be tolerated.
Taking to X, he wrote, “Great Jungle King! Great Demon King! More than 100 houses of Dalits were set on fire in Nawada. There is fire all over Bihar under the rule of Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is carefree, NDA allies are unaware! The poor are burnt, die – what do they care? Atrocities on Dalits will not be tolerated.”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also slammed the state government and termed Bihar “a proof of jungle-raj”. He further questioned the silence of NDA leaders and accused the BJP and its allies of neglecting the Dalits and the deprived.
“The terror of the bullies on the Mahadalit colony in Nawada, Bihar is another proof of the jungle raj of the NDA double engine government. It is extremely condemnable that around 100 Dalit houses were set on fire, firing was done and everything of the poor families was snatched away in the darkness of the night,” he said in a post on X.
“The BJP and its allies’ utter indifference towards the Dalits and the deprived, criminal neglect and promotion of anti-social elements is now at its peak. Prime Minister Modi is silent as usual, Nitish is carefree in his greed for power and the NDA allies are speechless,” Kharge added.
