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This is an archive article published on September 19, 2024
21 houses set on fire in Bihar’s Nawada, land dispute suspected
Preliminary investigation suggested that a land dispute could be the cause behind the incident that happened in Manjhi Tola in Mufassil police station area, they said.
Dhiman said the situation was now under control and a large contingent of the police was deployed in the area to prevent any flare-up. ((Representational)
Twenty-one thatched houses belonging to the Scheduled Castes Ravidas and Manjhi in Bihar’s Nawada district were set on fire allegedly by a group of people belonging to another Scheduled Caste Paswan, on Wednesday evening. The houses were torched allegedly in a bid to usurp vacant government land.
The police said the incident took place at Krishna Nagar Mahadalit settlements under the Muffasil police station of Nawada at around 6.45 pm. Houses in 80 Mahadalit settlements by the roadside were gutted but no casualties were reported. Firefighters were called to extinguish the fire, which was brought under control by 11 pm. The district administration was arranging alternative accommodation for those whose houses were completely destroyed.
The Nawada police arrested a local resident, Nandu Paswan, and nine others. According to the police, Paswan had threatened the residents to vacate the land earlier as well.
Gautam Kumar, a local resident, said, “Nandu Paswan and his associates had opened fire in the air to terrorise us before they torched our houses”.
Abhinav Dhiman, Superintendent of Police (Nawada), told reporters: “We have arrested one Nandu Paswan, a resident of Pran Bigaha village, and nine others on arson and other charges. We will soon ascertain the motive behind the incident.”
Local police sources said Nandu Paswan was involved in the property business. He had been attempting to evict the Mahadalit settlement in to seize the government land for his own unlawful gain, they said.
Approximately 400 people from Scheduled Castes have been living in Krishna Nagar Mahadalit settlements, which were established 70-80 years ago. Almost all residents of the Mahadlit settlement are daily wagers.
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