Tensions simmer in Bihar as RJD MLA Bhai Virendra levels explosive charges against the state’s police force. On Wednesday, he claimed authorities are systematically targeting criminals from Yadav and Muslim backgrounds while shielding others, amid a broader failure to tame rising lawlessness.
Virendra’s media interaction laid bare his frustrations. ‘Crime waves are unchecked, with perpetrators evading capture routinely,’ he observed. ‘Yet, the focus is laser-sharp on one caste, ignoring the rest.’ He firmly distanced himself from criminal advocacy: ‘Uniform action against all offenders, irrespective of origins, is essential.’
This comes fresh off a morning raid in Patna’s Gayghat area under Alamganj jurisdiction. Intelligence on an extortion racket prompted a joint police-STF sweep. Cornered gang members unleashed bullets, met with precise counterfire that injured Rajiv Kumar, alias Surya Don, in the lower limb. Captured immediately, he received prompt hospitalization.
Responding swiftly, JD(U)’s Neeraj Kumar rejected caste angles. ‘Criminals transcend caste barriers,’ he affirmed. ‘Self-defense firing during attacks isn’t communal—it’s operational necessity.’
The clash exemplifies Bihar’s fraught security politics, where opposition accuses the Nitish Kumar administration of discriminatory vigilantism. Recent encounter spikes have bolstered government claims of aggressive anti-crime drives, but skeptics demand transparency on victim profiles.
Virendra’s intervention could galvanize anti-incumbency sentiments, spotlighting perceived biases in a state where caste loyalties run deep. As police vow continued operations, the push for caste-neutral justice remains a rallying cry for reformers.