Five MLAs and over 20 LJP workers injured in police lathicharge

Patna, December 17, 2009: Five MLAs and over 20 Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) workers were injured when police resorted to lathicharge to stop Vidhan Sabha march by LJP workers here on Thursday.

Among the prominent leaders who were injured in the clash included the state LJP chief Pashupati Kumar Paras, Maheshwar Singh, Achutanand Singh, Vijay Singh, Dularchand Yadav (all legislators). The party spokesman Ram Lakhan Ram sustained head injuries and he had been admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital.

LJP had called the Dalit Ekta rally to protest the Bihar government’s dalits policy.
Recently, Bihar government had included several sub castes of the dalit community into the Mahadalit category.

Barring the Paswan community, almost all the sub castes of the dalit community have now been categorised as Mahadalits which are eligible for special benefits from the government. The LJP had been opposing the government’s decision and termed it politically motivated to divide dalits.

The rally and consequent police action had created unprecedented traffic jams in several important roads of Patna.

Photos: Nagendra Kumar Singh