In Nawada district of Bihar, dominant people set houses in a Dalit settlement on fire. They first fired gunshots and then set the houses ablaze using petrol. Villagers say that about 80 houses were burnt. However, the police claim that only 21 houses were set on fire. The team from Aaj Tak reached Ground Zero and spoke to the victims, who shared their experiences.
Sunita, a resident of Krishna Nagar Dalit settlement in Nawada that was set on fire, said, "We were cooking bread when they came. Our child was at the hand pump. When they came, they shouted, 'Grab the girl!'. The girl dropped her scarf and ran. Our children barely escaped. They burned everything - grains, water, money, identification cards, everything. They even took our only mobile phone. They threatened to burn us alive if we did not leave. We fled for our lives and hid wherever we could. No one was there to help us."
Source: aajtak
Another woman from the village said that they were shouting for everyone to evacuate the houses. They forced us out and didn’t let us take anything. Everything we had was destroyed. Now we have nowhere to go or live.
First Gunfire, Then Fire: Victims
Gautam Kumar, a local resident, said that as soon as they entered the village, they started firing. He said, "There were around 100 of them. We were sitting nearby. When the commotion began, they poured petrol and set all the houses on fire. After seeing the children, we hid around 100 kids. Then we called the authorities. It was after that they came and fired again before leaving. When we called the SP, he said they were sending a reserve force. The police force arrived about an hour and a half later."
Spent Cartridges Found This Morning
The villagers have been claiming since Wednesday night that the dominant people first fired in the air and then set the houses on fire using petrol. However, the Superintendent of Police in Nawada said that their team did not find any empty cartridges, so the claim of gunfire couldn’t be confirmed. However, on Thursday morning, empty bullet cartridges were found. This confirms that they were armed, and the gunfire allegations seem to be true.
Source: aajtak
Rahul Gandhi: A Horrific Picture of Injustice Against the Underserved
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi stated that the incident in Nawada reveals a horrific picture of injustice against the underserved in Bihar. He said on 'X', "Such anarchic elements find refuge under the leadership of BJP and NDA allies – intimidating and oppressing India’s underserved communities, preventing them from asking for even their social and constitutional rights, and the Prime Minister’s silence stamps approval on this larger conspiracy."
He further said that the Bihar government and state police should swiftly and sternly act against all culprits of this shameful crime and rehabilitate the victim families to provide them with full justice.
Congress President: Another Proof of Lawlessness Under Dubbed 'Double Engine' Government
Congress President: Another Proof of Lawlessness Under Dubbed 'Double Engine' Government
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the terror unleashed by dominant people on the Mahadalit settlement in Nawada is yet another proof of lawlessness under the double-engine government of NDA. He stated, "It is highly condemnable that around 100 Dalit houses were set on fire, gunshots were fired, and everything was snatched away from the poor families under the cover of night. The extreme apathy, criminal negligence, and promotion of antisocial elements by BJP and its allies towards Dalits and the underserved have now peaked."
Kharge took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, stating, "As always, Prime Minister Modi remains silent, Nitish Kumar is indifferent in his lust for power, and NDA allies are silent."
Priyanka Gandhi: Law and Order Completely Collapsed in the State
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi described this incident as extremely horrifying and condemnable. She said, "Creating such large-scale terror by firing dozens of rounds and leaving people homeless shows that the law and order in the state has completely collapsed. The common rural poor are forced to live in fear and insecurity. I urge the state government to take strict action against those responsible for this injustice and ensure proper rehabilitation of all the victims."
Bihar’s former Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also commented on the incident. He compared it to a reign of extreme lawlessness, stating on social media platform 'X', "Extreme lawlessness prevails. Over 100 Dalit houses set on fire in Nawada. Fire everywhere under the rule of Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is careless, and NDA allies are indifferent. The poor burn, they die – what do they care? Atrocities against Dalits will not be tolerated."
Land Dispute Issue: JDU
JDU MLC Neeraj Kumar said the incident appears to be a case of a land dispute at first sight. The police and administration reached the spot within 20 minutes of the incident. The police are investigating every aspect of the case. There is no information about anyone getting injured in the incident. He said that the government will not allow any attempt to disturb social harmony to succeed.
Conspiracy to Destabilize Bihar: Janak Ram
Minister Janak Ram from Bihar government called it a conspiracy by the grand alliance to destabilize Bihar. He said such conspiracies are being hatched to destabilize the state due to its development. The people of Bihar are aware of the character of the grand alliance.
Janak Ram also mentioned, "Just like during the reign of Tejashwi Yadav’s parents, social hatred was spread, pitting the forward and backward classes against each other. This is yet again being attempted. Dalit houses are being burned to spread terror, but there’s no need for anyone to be afraid. Bihar has a good governance government under Nitish Kumar, and swift action will be taken against all culprits."
What Happened in Nawada?
The incident occurred near Nanoura in the Krishna Nagar Dalit settlement under the Mufassil police station area in Nawada. Currently, a part of this land is occupied by Dalit families. A dispute over the possession of this land has been ongoing with another party. Officials are currently hearing the case. The victim families allege that on Wednesday evening, the dominant people suddenly attacked them. After beating and firing, they set their houses on fire.
What Did the SP of Nawada Say?
SP Abhinav Dhiman stated, "At around 7 PM on Wednesday, we received information that some individuals had set houses on fire. Initially, it was claimed that 40-50 houses were burned, but our survey found that only 21 houses were set on fire. Moreover, there is no report of any death or body. The main accused, along with 10 others, has been arrested in this case. The entire village has police force deployment.
