Controversy erupts as Bihar education minister Chandrashekhar downplays SI’s murder by sand mafia | Patna News

By Kshitiz Singh
PATNA: Bihar’s Education Minister Chandrashekhar on Tuesday stirred up a controversy through his statements over the death of sub-inspector, Prabhat Ranjan who was mowed down by sand mafias, on Tuesday.

The minister said such incidents keep happening and have occured in other states too.

Prabhat was mowed down by a sand laden tractor in Jamui district on Tuesday morning.
Talking to media-persons during his tour to Sitamarhi, the minister said, “this is a crime. There are criminals who used to commit such crimes from time to time. But the state government is against crime and responsible towards maintaining law and order. The government takes action in such cases within 24 to 48 hours of the incident. The criminals are identified and put behind the bars by the police. Prabhat is not only the son of Vaishali, but of the entire Bihar.”
Chandrashekhar further added that such incidents have happened in other states, citing the example of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
At the same time, RLSP (R) chief and Jamui MP, Chirag Paswan raised questions on the law and order situation in the state. He asked the chief minister Nitish Kumar, if the sand mafias have the protection of the government.
Chirag wrote on his official ‘X’ account, “’Chief Minister, the gangs of sand smugglers are rampant in the state. In such a situation, questions arise on your leadership as to whether all this is happening under your protection? Otherwise why have no concrete steps been taken till now? At some places people get drowned in rivers, due to illegal sand mining and at some places uncontrolled vehicles are crushing the security forces. It is necessary to save the lives of Biharis by taking some concrete steps.”
Talking to media persons at Patna Airport, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain hit at the state government for increasing crime by sand mafias and added that it was the rule of Sand Mafias. He also advised the state government as well as the DGP to boost the morale of cops and take stern action against the sand mafias.
Illegal sand mining has become a menace in various districts of Bihar including the diara areas of Patna, Bhojpur, Lakhisarai, Nawada and Jamui districts.