Patna’s ‘trigger-happy’ cop picked up

‘‘This is now part of an ongoing investigation and the CID is not going to submit any report,’’ DGP R.R. Prasad told reporters. The main demand of the families of three youths had been that the policeman responsible for the encounter be arrested.

The NDA observed a Black Day today and senior leaders, including C.P. Thakur, Raghunath Jha (Samata) and Nand Kishore Yadav (BJP), led a procession wearing black ribbons around their mouths. They charged the government with trying to shield the policemen involved in the incident.

The NDA, CPI-ML(L) and Indian Federal Democratic Party have again given separate calls for a bandh on January 3. ‘‘Nothing short of a CBI probe will satisfy us,’’ Opposition leader in Bihar Assembly, S.K. Modi, and Thakur told reporters after meeting the aggrieved families.

RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav said the BJP and its allies were trying to politicise the issue. ‘‘We got them compensation at a time when these political parties weren’t even aware of the issue. What more can the government do? The government has acted immediately,’’ he said.

‘‘Somebody tell me where is the fault of the government? The families are satisfied that the truth has come out,’’ he added.

Vikas Singh, Prashant Singh and Himanshu Yadav had got into a fight with a STD booth-owner, Kamlesh Gautam, over the payment of bills on Saturday. Gautam had them beaten up and then called the police, saying they were criminals. The police shot them without verifying the claim.

The RJD chief announced that the state government has decided to give Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the victims’ families. Apart from Alam, the booth owner was also arrested. The DSP of Sachiwalaya police station, A.K. Sinha, was transferred and six other policemen suspended.