Months after the Election Commission removed the then Munger Superintendent of Police Lipi Singh after the police brutality on Durga idol visarjan procession that had left one dead and several injured, the Bihar government has appointed the controversial IPS officer as the Saharsa SP.
Several IAS/IPS officers transferred
About two days ago, the Bihar government ordered a large scale transfer of IAS and IPS officers. Twelve districts magistrates (DM) along with 13 superintendents of police (SP) have been changed in a late-night notification. However, the transfer of Singh, accused of unleashing violence Durga devotees in Munger, has raised several eyebrows.
It is pertinent to note that transfers of officers are a common phenomenon. State governments routinely transfer their personnel for better management and effective resource utilisation. However, what is being here is the Bihar government’s decision of entrusting significant responsibilities to an officer accused of unleashing brutality on the citizens.
Singh’s father is close aide of CM Nitish Kumar
Interestingly, Lipi Singh is the daughter of JDU MP RCP Singh. RCP Singh is the national president of JDU and considered to be close to Nitish Kumar. The home department is also with the JDU, which the Legislative Councillor Sanjay Paswan had demanded to be handed over to the BJP, citing law and order in the state.
Death of Anurag Poddar
Singh had earned the title ‘General Dyer’ after the Munger firing. People associated with the Durga Puja Committee claimed at Singh oversaw the beatings meted out to the devotees involved in immersion. The idol of Durga Mata was lying deserted on the road that night.
A young man named Anurag Poddar was killed in the firing that night after police crackdown against the devotees. An FIR was filed in this case against the policemen based on the statement given by Anurag Poddar’s father. In his complaint, Anurag’s father blamed the police firing as the reason for his son’s death.
Ahead of the assembly state elections in the state, Bihar was shaken with a horrifying episode of violence when the police personnel mercilessly attacked Durga Procession devotees in the Munger district. The devotees were charged with batons and shots were fired at them, claiming the life of one 18-year-old Hindu boy.
First shot was fired by the police, says CISF report
The CISF report was issued a day after the incident confirmed that the first round of fire was shot by police. It said at the request of Munger Kotwali police station, a detachment of CISF troops was sent to the district school for the protection of the Durga immersion procession ceremony. The report mentions that the troops sent by CISF that contained 20 personnel were divided into two groups of 10 each. One group was posted along with SSB and Bihar Police personnel at Deendayal Upadhyay Chowk, Munger.
