PATNA: Two persons were killed and another injured as police opened fire when a protest demonstration turned violent in Bihar’s Katihar district on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at Barsoi block when local villagers were staging a dharna at the block office with a demand to provide uninterrupted power supply in the region.
The area is facing electricity scarcity for the last few weeks and this is badly affecting their farming and irrigation. The villagers have claimed that the absence of rain led to a drought-like situation and they may face heavy loss if plantation of paddy does not take place at time.
With this in view, a large number of farmers assembled at the block development office in Barsoi demanding uninterrupted power supply in the region.
This had led to a verbal argument between them and the officers and the situation turned ugly when farmers attacked the officers and vandalised the office properties.
Police present at the spot first fired several rounds in the air to disperse them but failed and then they opened fire.
Three persons sustained gunshot injuries and two of them died on the spot.
However, the DSP, Barsoi range confirmed one death so far.
The situation is tense in the region. The district police have deployed a large number of personnel in the area.