'Historical Trend': Bihar Top Cop On Remark Linking 'Idle' Farmers To Crime

Crime data in Bihar has apparently shown a curious trend -- that it spikes in summer and drops once the monsoon hits. The state police have a curious explanation for it: "Historical trend" shows from Holi to the arrival of the monsoon, it is a lean season employment-wise. The situation changes when the monsoon arrives and farmers get busy. The explanation -- coming from Kundan Krishnan, the state's Additional Director General of Police -- is not flattering to farmers and Union minister Chirag Paswan has not allowed it to pass unchallenged.

"Indirectly calling our Annadaata farmers murderers is not only an insult to their honour but also a disrespect to their sacrifice and hard work. Instead of cracking down on criminals, Bihar Police is more focused on unnecessary statements," he wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The ADG, though, staunchly backed the police theory. 

In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Mr Krishnan said, "What has been seen for the last several decades is May, June and July, there is a spurt in incidents of murders... as soon as the monsoons arrive, people get busy in the agricultural activities".  

"So in this period, every year we have seen there is a rising trend and as soon as the monsoons arrive, people get busy in the agricultural activities," he added. 

Asked if he was saying that most of the crimes are committed by farmers, Mr Krishnan denied it, saying instead that the motives behind the crimes have much to do with interpersonal relationships and are not always about financial gain. 

He maintained silence on why this pattern does not hold true across the country - given that farmers form a chunk of the population.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Paswan flagged his objections. 

A rough translation of his vernacular post read: "The statement of Bihar Police ADG Headquarters Kundan Krishnan is extremely reprehensible and unfortunate. Indirectly calling our Annadaata farmers murderers is not only an insult to their honour but also a disrespect to their sacrifice and hard work. Instead of cracking down on criminals, Bihar Police is more focused on unnecessary statements, which is extremely worrying. The administration should clarify its priorities."

Bihar has seen a spate of crime over  the last weeks. 

The latest one took place at Patna's Paras hospital, where five armed men were caught on CCTV cameras tiptoeing through the corridor and entering a patient's room, pumping bullets into him and making a getaway. 

The rising crime graph - which includes the murders of businessman Gopal Khemka, BJP leader Surendra Kewat and lawyer Jitendra Mahato - has put the Nitish Kumar government on the backfoot ahead of the coming assembly elections.