Three die in accident, mob turns violent in Samastipur

PATNA: Police fired in the air to quell an irate mob that attacked a police station, pelted stones and set at least two police vehicles on fire in Samastipur district on Tuesday. However, no one was injured in the police firing.

The trouble began after three people, including two minors, were crushed to death by a speeding truck near Narsimha Chauk under the jurisdiction of Shivajinagar police outpost in Samastipur district.

The incident took place when one Harinandan Kumar, a resident of Kharsham village in Samastipur district, was on way to offer prayers at a local temple on a motorcycle. While Nisha Kumari (13) and Nitu Kumari (6) died on the spot, Harinandan (22) succumbed to his injuries at the Shivajinagar primary health centre.

Agitated over the incident, a group of locals attacked the nearby Shivajinagar police outpost, pelted it with stones and attempted to set it on fire. When the police intervened, they were attacked with sticks, iron rods and traditional weapons. The police had to make a hasty retreat as the protesters outnumbered them. The mob later set the police vehicles of Shivajinagar outpost and Hathauri police station on fire. Apprehending trouble, the police opened fire in the air to disperse the mob.

Samastipur SP Harpreet Kaur said the police fired five rounds in the air to quell the mob and bring the situation under control.

DM Chandrashekhar Singh rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation. The DM and the SP were camping at the site at the time of filing of this report.

The SP said 15 people have been detained for causing damage to public property. "The identity of the troublemakers is being ascertained with the help of CCTV footage. Further action will be taken against them on the basis of scientific evidences," Kaur told this newspaper over the phone.