Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on August 22, 2019
Rifles fail to fire at ceremonial salute to former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and DGP Gupteshwar Pandey were present on the occasion.
Jagannath Mishra, who was three-time Bihar chief minister between 1975 and 1990, died on Monday.
Bihar Police faced embarrassment on Wednesday when none of the 21 rifles could be fired during the funeral of former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra at his paternal village Balua Ghat in Supaul.
Mishra, who was three-time Bihar chief minister between 1975 and 1990, died on Monday.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and DGP Gupteshwar Pandey were present on the occasion. Supaul SP Mrityunjay Choudhary said, “Those responsible for the lapse would face action.”
A video of the “gun salute” showed all 21 policemen lifting their rifles in air as per protocol. As none of them fired, the cameras turned towards the Chief Minister, who looked upset.
DGP Pandey left the spot without taking questions.
This is the first such incident in public memory when all the 21 rifles did not fire during the final salute.
A senior police officer said that at a time the “state police had been talking of modernising its forces, all 21 rifles not firing would send a wrong signal”.
A Supaul police source said it was quite possible that the rifles were not used for a long time.
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“It is surely a very serious matter and reflects on poor maintenance of police arms,” a police officer said.
Sources said the police headquarters had been mulling stern action against Supaul Police for “poor upkeep” of arms.
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