Bihar CM Nitish condemns Nawada violence, calls for strict action

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday condemned the torching of houses in Nawada district and ordered immediate action, directing the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) to personally visit the area and oversee the investigation. He emphasised a "zero tolerance" approach towards the culprits.

The Chief Minister held an emergency meeting with senior officials, including Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Raj and Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, where he insisted on sending ADGP Sanjay Singh, in charge of law and order, to assess the situation on the ground. Officials noted that this swift response signals the state government’s commitment to ensuring justice and accountability.

At the same time, the Bihar Police have ramped up raids in prisons across the state, aiming to dismantle any criminal networks possibly connected to the incident. These raids are part of a broader crackdown to maintain law and order, assuring the public that the administration is taking every possible step to restore peace.

The coordinated efforts to send senior officials to Nawada and conduct widespread raids reflect the urgency with which the state is addressing the surge in criminal activity. In recent months, Bihar has seen an uptick in crime, with police sources indicating that many of these operations are being controlled by criminals from within jails.

Akhilesh Kumar, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Nawada, confirmed that 15 arrests have been made so far in connection with the violence. Meanwhile, local residents alleged that the attackers, possibly from the Paswan community, had previously been involved in violence and were attempting to grab land. Despite repeated complaints, they claimed, the district administration had failed to act, allowing tensions to escalate.