Bihar: One Killed, Two Injured In 'Police Firing' During Protest Over Power Supply Disruptions

The incident took place when residents of a village near Barsoi town gathered outside the electricity department to protest against the irregular power supply and high power tariffs.

The incident took place when locals near Barsoi town gathered outside the electricity department to protest against the irregular power supply and high power tariffs.

Source : ANI

New Delhi: At least one person was killed and two others were critically injured after police allegedly opened fire to disperse a mob that was protesting against poor power supply in Bihar's Katihar district on Wednesday, news agency PTI reported.

According to Deputy SP of Barsoi sub-division, Prem Nath Ram, police had to resort to firing and baton-charge when the protesters indulged in stone-pelting. The deceased has been identified as 34-year-old Khurshid Alam, a resident of Baasal village. Two others who sustained injuries have been rushed to the hospital, police said.

Meanwhile, protesters took to streets over Alam’s death, PTI reported. Katihar's Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar said heavy deployment of forces has been made to maintain law and order in the area.

VIDEO | Protest erupts in Katihar, Bihar after a person was killed in police firing. Police had allegedly opened fire to control a mob that was protesting against power cuts. pic.twitter.com/0suqq9l6MJ

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 26, 2023

According to the PTI report, locals claimed that at least five people were hit by bullets at the protest site.

Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha, who was in the district for a BJP event, also rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.

Taking a dig at the Nitish Kumar-government in Bihar, BJP leader Samrat Choudhary, told ANI, “Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's government lathi-charged those asking for the 10 lakh government jobs. Now, in his 'Raj', on demanding electricity, people are being shot...No good governance, no facilities for the public. This is a government of atrocities...There is no hope left.”

#WATCH | On a clash between locals & police in Bihar's Katihar during a protest against the electricity department, BJP leader Samrat Choudhary says, "Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's govt lathi-charged those asking for the 10 lakh govt jobs. Now, in his 'Raj', on demanding electricity,… pic.twitter.com/Bx4r1KU0xU

— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2023

Condemning the incident, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad said, “Bihar government has failed in every aspect. People were protesting over power cuts, but the police opened fire that led to the death of one person.”

VIDEO | "Bihar government has failed in every aspect. People were protesting over power cuts, but the police opened fire that led to the death of one person," says former Bihar Deputy CM @tarkishorepd on police firing in Katihar. pic.twitter.com/nRjpIPdR6G

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 26, 2023

According to reports, the incident took place when residents of a village near Barsoi town gathered outside the electricity department to protest against the irregular power supply and high power tariffs.