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Toll in army recruitment drive violence rises to 20

The toll in yesterday's clashes between police and youths seeking to enlist in the army, which led to police firing and subsequent stampede in Darbhanga and Chapra, rose to 20 today.

A report from Darbhanga said 17 bodies have been found so far. One body was recovered yesterday.

In a similar incident in Chapra, two youths were killed when police opened fire on the job seekers yesterday.

Bihar Director General of Police K A Jacob said efforts are on to recover the remaining three bodies in Darbhanga.

Ten bodies were recovered from Ranipur village this morning. Three people -- one in Darbhanga and two in Chapra were killed yesterday in police firing.

Darbhanga District Magistrate Ajay Kumar said patrolling has been intensified in the town and adjoining areas and additional police force posted in sensitive pockets.

Tension gripped Darbhanga town after the recovery of the bodies of youths today, but the situation was under control, Kumar said.

Several people, including Assistant Sub-Inspector B K Pandey and a couple of army officers, also received injuries in the clash at the Darbhanga airport.

Trouble erupted at both places when an unexpectedly large number of youths turned up for the test and were annoyed when told that only local candidates would be given the chance to take the test on the first day of the five-day-long recruitment drive.

Police said four bodies of the ten recovered today have been identified. Navin Kumar Jha and O P Shah hailed from Darbhanga while Umesh Prasad Yadav and Sanjiv Prasad Yadav were residents of Sitamarhi district.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) has called for a 'Mithilanchal bandh' (general strike) on July 20 to protest against the incidents. On the same day, the party will observe a 'protest day' in other parts of the state.

Sushil Kumar Modi, leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly, has demanded a high-level inquiry into the incidents. He also demanded Rs 200,000 and a government job for one member as compensation for each of the victim's families.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is also sending a team to both places to find out the "real facts", Modi added.

UNI

EARLIER REPORT:
3 killed, 28 injured in violence at army recruitment drive

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