Dozens of Dalit homes set ablaze in Bihar’s Nawada, 15 arrested; Congress slams ‘horrifying injustice against Bahujans’

Dozens of houses belonging to members of the Dalit community were set ablaze in the Nawada region of Bihar late on Wednesday night. The police have arrested 15 including the main accused and an investigation remains underway to ascertain the reasons behind the violence. The incident has also sparked widespread condemnation with Opposition leaders accusing the ruling NDA of ‘sheltering the anarchists’.

“A call was received around 7:30 pm that some houses were set on fire in Manjhi Tola. Police immediately reached the spot along with fire engines. It took some time to douse the blaze. According to villagers, a group of people started setting the houses on fire around 7:00 pm. Preliminary investigation suggests that land dispute is the reason for the incident. A case has been registered and an investigation is underway,” said SP Abhinav Dhiman.

Multiple gunshots were also heard amidst the heated altercation between the alleged assailants and the villagers.

According to reports quoting the police, the attackers had set fire to around 80 houses in the locality during the altercation on Wednesday evening. Out of these 21 houses were burnt down to ashes with no live casualties being reported till date. A large contingent of police personnel have since been deployed in the area and officials are working to rehabilitate the displaced victims.

“The district police has arrested 15 people for allegedly torching the houses. A Special Investigation Team has been formed to investigate further, and searches are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects,” Nawada District Magistrate Ashutosh Kumar Verma told PTI.

“Burning down an entire colony of Mahadalits in Nawada and destroying the houses of more than 80 families is highlighting the horrifying picture of injustice against the Bahujans in Bihar. The cries of the Dalit families who had lost their homes and property and the terror created in the deprived society by the echo of the fierce firing were also not successful in waking up the sleeping government of Bihar,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on X.

“It is clear that such incidents are continuously taking place in the double engine government. The people who have set these houses on fire should be arrested and strict action should be taken against them. Jitan Ram Manjhi has been a CM and is currently a Union Minister, but whatever he is saying is not even close to facts...From Delhi to Bihar, they are in power, they should arrest the people responsible for this,” said RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.

(With inputs from agencies)