At least five Tharu tribals were killed and four others injured when the police opened fire on a mob following the recovery of a body under Naurangia police station area in Bagha district of Bihar on Monday.
State Additional Director General of Police (law and Order) SK Bhardwaj told The Pioneer that the police was forced to open fire in self defence when a strong mob of nearly 900 people including around 350 women started pelting stones on the police personnel and began indulging in other violent activities.
The trouble started when the body of a 22-year-old local singer, Chandreswhar Kaji was recovered at Katarwa village under Naurangia. Kaji, a resident of Dautarwa village was kidnapped on June 9 and the police had arrested two tribals in this connection.
When the police arrived on the spot to take the body into their possession, the security personnel were taken by surprise as an unruly mob was waiting for them with stones and other sharp objects.
Immediately, the highly aggressive people started throwing stones on the police personnel who had no alternative other than escaping from the spot. The mob, however, chased the police personnel for at least one-km and injured them by throwing stones and other sharp objects on them.
The police had arrested two youth on Sunday when an FIR was registered against them on the charge of their involvement in the kidnapping of Kaji who also belongs to the Tharu tribal community.
Bhardwaj said that a group of people had also demonstrated before the Naurangia police station on Sunday but they returned after both the arrested youth were produced before them. He said that at least 25 police personnel were injured in the incident. All the injured had been admitted to a local hospital at Bagha.