Nawada incident: State govt takes action against SHO over intelligence gathering failure

Charred remains are seen after several houses were reportedly set on fire, in Nawada district of Bihar | Photo: PTI

Two days after 34 houses, mostly belonging to Dalits, were set on fire in Bihar’s Nawada district, Nawada police chief Abhinav Dhiman on Friday (September 20, 2024) took action against the SHO of the local police station for his alleged failure in ‘gathering intelligence’.

A Dalit village was attacked and at least 34 houses were set on fire by suspected land mafia in Krishna Nagar village under Mufassil police station in Nawada district of Bihar on Wednesday night (September 18). So far, 15 people have been arrested by the police, including the main suspect, Nandu Paswan.

Briefing the press at his office in Nawada, Mr. Dhiman said, “We have done the post analysis of the entire incident and found that there was a lapse in intelligence gathering at the local level. The serving SHO had visited the spot 15 days ago. The 2018 batch officer has been removed and posted on ‘Line Hajir’ after he failed in intelligence gathering. He has been issued a show cause notice and we have sought a response within seven days. If we find his explanation not satisfactory, further action will be taken. It is not just at the police station level, if we find any lapse at any level, action will be taken against the officers concerned.”

Mr Dhiman also said that the situation is under control and an SIT has been formed to arrest the rest of the suspects.

According to the police, the arson attack on the house was a result of a land dispute, in which the police have arrested 15 people, including the main suspect, a retired police jawan. Three homemade pistols, three misfired bullets, two empty cartridges and six motorcycles have been seized as part of the investigation at the scene.

The police have already filed an FIR and imposed various sections under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. The case has also been registered under the Arms Act and various sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The state government has also paid compensation of ₹1 lakh per person to all 34 families whose houses were burnt down.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary had said that those who attacked Dalits in Nawada will not be spared. He also alleged that there is evidence of involvement of RJD people in this incident and that the same people are intimidating and insulting Dalits.

Mr Choudhary said that after the Nawada incident, the police took swift action, registered an FIR against 28 persons and arrested 15 persons and raids were still being conducted to arrest the remaining suspects.

He also said that the plot hatched by the RJD to disrupt law and order in the state by providing shelter to miscreants and criminals will never succeed.

On the other hand, the RJD, on the instructions of Leader of Opposition Bihar Legislative Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, sent the seven-member team led by former Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary to visit the spot. The committee will submit its report in the next three days.