In the electoral battle in Bihar two incidents took place on Tuesday, one causing injury to RJD supremo lalu Prasad when a portion of his stage caved in and in another incident a huge crowd gone to see actor Ajay Devgn was lathi charged causing injuries to about 50 people.
lalu was about to address an election meeting at Madhuban Maidan in Arwal when, due to over crowding, the stage caved in and the RJD supremo fell down with some other party workers. They, including lalu, sustained minor injuries due to fall. Official sources said not the entire makeshift stage but a portion of it broken down. “The Magistrate on duty had earlier tried to dissuade so many of people climbing the stage,” said Additional Chief Electoral Officer R lakshmanan here.
The Devgn incident took place in Biharsharif at Shram Kalyan ground on Tuesday where the actor’s chopper was to land. Devgn, who is stumping for the NDA, however, could not land due to heavy crowd on the maidan. As the helicopter did not come down, rumour spread that the administration had refused permission for the meeting.
This led to anger among the audience mostly youths who started hurling stones and empty water bottles towards the stage and broke chairs. The police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd. The retreating crowd damaged one OB van and lenses of some cameramen. In the brick batting and lathi charge about 50 people, including ten police personnel sustained injuries.
Nalanda DM Tyagrajan SM said meeting was called off by the organisers and not the District Administration. ACEO lakshmanan also said because of heavy and unruly crowd that filled the maidan much beyond its capacity the helicopter could not land. Biharsharif BJP candidate Dr Sunil Kumar alleged conspiracy to defame him. Nalanda SP Vivekanand Mondal said on the basis of the video footage, FIR might be field against the people indulging in ruckus.