Bihar bandh: RJD expels 3 party members in Bhagalpur

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which had called for a 'bandh' in Bihar against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, has expelled three people from the party for vandalising an auto-rickshaw in Bhagalpur by going against the order of the party leadership.

Among those expelled are Bhagalpur RJD president Tirupati Nath Yadav, youth leader Miraj Chand and Shahjada, read a statement from the party.

As many as 13 people were arrested and 1,550 were taken into preventive custody in 38 districts in connection with the RJD sponsored 'Bihar bandh' on Saturday, police said.

"As per the compiled information from 38 districts in connection with today's 'Bihar bandh' called by RJD-led alliance, 1,550 people were taken into preventive custody," ADG Jitendra Kumar said.

He said that 14 cases were registered and 13 people were arrested in connection with the protests, adding that road and rail routes were interrupted at some places.

The 'bandh' turned violent at some places with demonstrators going on a rampage.

In Munger, protesters destroyed local shops, vandalised a police station and raised slogans denouncing the citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). In Patna, protesters broke police barricades and blocked a road during a demonstration.

In Bhagalpur, many auto-rickshaws were vandalised during the anti-CAA stir.

In Darbhanga, party supporters also stopped the Darbhanga-New Delhi Bihar Sampark Kranti Superfast Express. Train tracks were also obstructed in Patna's Kumhrar area and at some places in Arrah, Jahanabad and Hajipur.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday announced that the National Register of Citizens will not be implemented in the state.

The CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.