Houses of 'Dalits' torched in Bihar, 15 held; Oppn slams govt

A day after 21 houses were set on fire in Bihar's Nawada district, a top state government official on Thursday said 15 people have been arrested in this connection.

Preliminary investigations indicate that a land dispute may have triggered the incident, which took place in Manjhi Tola within Mufassil police station area on Wednesday evening, police said.

Nawada District Magistrate Ashutosh Kumar Verma told PTI, "The district police has arrested 15 people for allegedly torching the houses. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate further, and searches are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects."

Verma said approximately 21 houses, some of which were semi-pucca, were burned by a group in Manjhi Tola. He added that senior administrative and police officials on-site will provide a report detailing the exact number of damaged houses.

"We are providing relief materials, including food packets and drinking water, to those displaced. Temporary tents have been set up for the victims," he noted. The DM refuted claims that cattle were charred, saying, "No evidence has been found to support that."

Following the incident, Nawada SP Abhinav Dhiman told reporters, "A call was received around 7 pm regarding the fire in Manjhi Tola. Police arrived promptly with fire engines and extinguished the blaze."

He confirmed that initial investigations suggest a land dispute as the motive and that a case has been registered. Another police officer claimed that shots were fired in the air during the arson.

'Jungle Raj': Cong slams Bihar govt

The Congress on Thursday slammed the National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar over the incident of setting ablaze of houses in Nawada, saying it is another proof of the 'jungle raj' prevailing in the state and shows the dispensation's 'utter indifference' towards Dalits and the deprived.

While Congress leaders pegged the number of houses set ablaze at over 80, police said 21 houses were set on fire in Nawada district.

'The terror of goons on Mahadalit Tola in Bihar's Nawada is another proof of the jungle raj of NDA's double engine government,' Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.

'It is highly condemnable that about 100 Dalit houses were set on fire, firing was done and everything of poor families was snatched in the darkness of the night,' Kharge claimed.

He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies' 'utter indifference' towards Dalits and deprived, 'criminal neglect' and encouraging anti-social elements is now at its peak.

"Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi is silent as usual, Nitish (Kumar) ji is carefree in the greed for power and NDA's allies have become silent," he said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the incident of 'burning down more than 80 houses of Mahadalits' in Nawada, Bihar is extremely horrific and condemnable.

'Firing dozens of rounds and creating terror on such a large scale and rendering people homeless shows that the law and order situation in the state has completely collapsed,' she said in a post in Hindi on X.

'The common rural-poor are forced to live in the shadow of insecurity and fear,' she said.

'I demand from the state government that strict action should be taken against the bullies who commit such injustice and all the victims should be properly rehabilitated,' Priyanka Gandhi said.

Mayawati demands legal action by govt, aid to victims

Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati on Thursday demanded strict action by the Bihar government over burning down of several houses of Dalits in Nawada district of the state.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also called for full financial support by the government for rehabilitation of the poor victims.

'The incident of burning down of many houses of poor Dalits in Bihar's Nawada by the goons and ruining their lives is extremely sad and serious. The government should take strict legal action against the culprits and also provide full financial help for the rehabilitation of the victims,' Mayawati posted in Hindi on X.