Mahadalit youth killed in firing in Bihar

A young man belonging to a Mahadalit caste was killed on Monday while three others were injured in Bihar's Darbhanga district after a policeman allegedly opened fire, police said.

Two communities had earlier clashed due to a dispute over burying of a body in a graveyard in Hawidih village in Bahedi area, about 200 km from here.

Vijay Ram, in his early 20s, was fatally hit by a bullet fired by a policeman to disperse persons indulging in violence.

"Vijay was trying to flee after the violent clash but was fatally hit by a bullet fired by a policeman without proper orders from his senior officials," a district police official said.

The three injured were admitted at Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital.

Darbhanga District Magistrate Chandrasekhar Singh said the situation in the village was under control.

According to Darbhanga Superintendent of Police Satyavir Singh, there is an old dispute related to graveyard land between two communities.

"A group of Mahadalit men stopped members from a community from burying a body in the graveyard on Sunday even though police tried to convince them to allow it. On Monday, when another attempt was made to bury the body, Mahadalit youths started pelting police and members of the other community with stones. A bodyguard attached to a senior officer opened fire to disperse them," a police official said.

--IANS

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