80 Houses Set on Fire in Dalit Colony in Bihar’s Nawada, Land Dispute Suspected

Nawada: In a shocking incident, miscreants set fire to around 80 houses in a Dalit colony in Krishna Nagar, Dadour village, located in the Mufassil police station area of Nawada district, Bihar, on Wednesday night. The attack, which took place around 8 p.m., also involved firing and physical assaults.

Police from five nearby stations have been deployed to control the situation, and 10 people have been arrested so far. The underlying cause of the violence is believed to be a long-standing land dispute.

The fire, which engulfed homes made of straw and bricks, also claimed the lives of several cattle. However, there have been no reports of human casualties. Fire brigade personnel reached the spot and, after a considerable effort, managed to bring the flames under control. By then, most of the residents’ belongings had been reduced to ashes.

Villagers allege that a large group of people, led by Nandu Paswan from Pran Bigha, launched the attack. “They set the houses on fire and opened fire. Some villagers were also beaten during the chaos,” one of the residents said. According to eyewitness accounts, 80-85 houses were destroyed in the blaze.

The dispute over land ownership is believed to have triggered the attack. The Dalit families have been living on a large plot of land that they claim belongs to the Bihar government. They allege that a local land mafia had been trying to sell the land, despite their protests, and Wednesday’s attack was a direct result of their opposition.

“The land mafia has been eyeing this plot for a long time, and we have been resisting their attempts to sell it. We’ve lived here for years, but they want us out,” said one of the affected villagers. The matter is currently being heard in court.

Nawada Superintendent of Police Abhinav Dhiman confirmed that 10 people have been arrested in connection with the incident. “We are identifying more individuals based on the villagers’ statements. A large contingent of district administration and police personnel has been deployed to ensure security,” said Dhiman. Magistrates and additional police forces have been stationed in the area to prevent further escalation.

मुफस्सिल थानाक्षेत्र अंतर्गत कृष्णानगर में कुछ लोगों द्वारा घर में आग लगा देने के संबंध में पुलिस अधीक्षक नवादा का आधिकारिक बयान#नवादा#nawadapolice @bihar_police pic.twitter.com/yfhU2zEpU7

— Nawada Police (@nawadapolice) September 18, 2024

The incident has sparked political reactions. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav criticized the Bihar government, calling it “careless” and alleging that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership.

In response, BJP spokesperson Arvind Singh defended the government’s actions, stating that the administration is taking the incident seriously. “An investigation is underway, and the culprits will be brought to justice,” Singh said.