At least six houses belonging to Scheduled Caste families were allegedly set on fire in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district following the murder of a 20-year-old youth, triggering tension in the area. The incident took place late on Saturday night, and police have deployed additional forces to prevent further violence.
According to a report by Mooknayak, the deceased, identified as Navneet Kumar, was a resident of Mohammadpur Khaje village under the Karja police station area.
Navneet had reportedly gone to a local fair with his friend, Subhash Kumar, when he was attacked with a knife. He later died from his injuries.
Mob Attacks Dalit Colony, Sets Houses on Fire
Tensions escalated when Navneet’s body was brought back to his village after a post-mortem examination. An angry mob allegedly attacked a Dalit colony in nearby Pratappur village, where a suspect in the murder is said to reside.
According to reports, the mob assaulted residents and set fire to at least six houses belonging to Scheduled Caste families. There were also allegations of aerial firing to spread panic, although police have not confirmed the firing.
Residents of the colony reportedly fled their homes to escape the attack.
Ganesh Ram, a resident of Pratappur, said Navneet had a dispute with the son of Gajendra Ram, who was allegedly involved in the illegal liquor trade.
Ram alleged that a mob of more than 50 people carried out a planned attack on the Dalit colony following Navneet’s murder.
Fire brigade teams reached the spot after receiving information about the arson. However, Ram said several houses had already been badly damaged by the time the firefighters arrived.
Senior Police Officials Reach the Spot
Senior Superintendent of Police Kantesh Kumar Mishra, Rural SP Rajesh Singh Prabhakar and City SP Mohibullah Ansari visited the area to assess the situation.
SSP Mishra said additional armed police personnel had been deployed in the village to prevent further violence.
He said the situation remained tense but was under control. He also noted that the deceased and the murder suspect belonged to different castes, adding that the administration was closely monitoring developments.
The SSP warned against taking the law into one’s own hands and said the local police station in-charge had been instructed to take immediate action against those responsible.
A special police team led by Saraiya Sub-Divisional Police Officer Abhijeet Kaur is currently stationed in the village.
