Patients die as traffic goes haywire during RJD’s bandh in Bihar

Normal life was thrown out of gear throughout the state during the day-long Bihar bandh, Thursday, in protest against the governments sand mining policy, which has capped mining and proposed to settle sand mining leases it in a categorised manner.

Road and railway blockades and use of burning tyres to stop all traffic flow through the highways and streets disrupted normal life, with the state capital too paralysed for the larger part of the day.

Reports said, demonstrators beat up businessmen in several districts, even as sand miners blocked highways, including NH 31 to Assam, resulting in even ambulances being stuck in the crowds. At least two patients died on their way to hospital, after being stuck in the jam.

Critically ill Somari Devi, 35, was on way from Mahnar in Hajipur to Patna for hospitalization, but her ambulance got stuck on the Mahatma Gandhi Setu, which connects North Bihar to Patna, due to ‘chakka jam’ by RJD workers. Her in-laws pleaded with the RJD workers and policemen, but to no avail, resulting in her death.

PolicesaidRJDworkerssquatted on rail tracks in Shiekhpura, Purnia, Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura, Ara, Jehanabad and Danapur, hampering movement of trains.

Though private bus operators suspended their services across the state as a precautionary measure, state-run buses plied as usual with escorts.

Bandh supporters also exchanged blows with policemen while trying to block roads in several parts of the state, but police succeeded in chasing them away.

RJD, however, refuted allegations that the patients suffered because of bandh, saying ambulances had been exempted.

“Such incidents do happen during agitation. There was clear instruction not to stop ambulances. The bandh is for a larger cause, as thousands of poor are suffering due to government’s faulty policies,” said RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, a former Union minister.

With a large number Sikh devotees coming to Patna for the concluding functions of the 350th birth anniversary of tenth Guru Gobind Singh, RJD supporters offered them roses and allowed their vehicles to proceed on national highway-30. “They are our guests,” said an RJD leader.

The Bihar government hurriedly convened a late night meeting on Wednesday to announce that it was allowing the 1972 mineral policy for mining to stop the bandh.

The Supreme Court had earlier turned down its plea against a Patna high court stay on the new policy and order to allow the earlier policy to continue, earlier last week.

“After the government announcement, there was no ground for the RJD to go ahead with its Bihar bandh at a time when the state was celebrating the Prakash Parv of Guru Gobind DSingh”, said road construction minister Nand Kishore Yadav .

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