This Article is From Oct 13, 2012

Protesters torch block office, police station in Bihar

Patna: A day after two youths were killed and over a dozen people injured in a police firing, rampaging protesters in Bihar's district headquarter town of Madhubani Saturday torched the block office building, a police station and several vehicles, an official said.

"Protesters pelted stones at police and torched the Basapatti police station and block office building early Saturday. They also set on fire the vehicles parked there," a police official said.

Another group of protesters blocked roads and went on rampage in the town, police said.

With tension gripping Madhubani town, shops, commercial establishments and educational institutions remained shut Saturday, a district official said.

Two youths died Friday on the spot after being hit by bullets and over a dozen were injured during a clash with police in Madhubani, around 170 km from here.

All the injured have been admitted to hospital in the neighbouring Darbhanga district.

"Condition of three people was said to be critical and they were shifted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital," an official said.

The trouble in the town started after a headless body was found 11 days ago. The family members of a missing youth, Prashant Kumar, claimed that the body was his and demanded that it be handed over to them.

Hundreds of people joined them. But when police refused to give in to their demand, the mob started pelting stones and torched the collectorate building, SDM office, a police station and several vehicles parked there Friday.

Police opened fire and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, the police official said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident and transferred the district magistrate and superintendent of police with immediate affect, an official said.
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