Patna:

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday offered a cryptic response to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s “doors open” statement to rejoin the opposition INDIA bloc. When questioned by journalists about Mr Yadav’s remarks, Mr Kumar folded his hands, smiled, and curtly responded, “Kya bol rahe hain (What are you saying?)” without elaborating further.

This exchange comes in the wake of Mr Yadav’s statement during an interview, where he said, “Our doors are open for Nitish Kumar. He should also unbolt his gates. This would facilitate movement of people from both sides.”

#WATCH | Patna: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar reacts on being asked about Lalu Prasad Yadav’s statement. pic.twitter.com/6Gxb9iOZgP

— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2025

Mr Yadav’s statement has since fueled speculation in Bihar about the possibility of another alliance between the two veteran leaders, often referred to as “bada bhai, chhota bhai” (big brother, little brother) in Bihar’s political circles. 

Mr Yadav’s overture to Mr Kumar follows a history of turbulent alliances. Mr Kumar, leader of the Janata Dal (United), has aligned with the RJD twice in the last decade, most recently as part of the Mahagathbandhan before switching sides to rejoin the BJP-led NDA in 2024. 

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son and heir apparent in the RJD, downplayed his father’s remarks, suggesting they were made to “satisfy the curiosity of the media.” Speaking to journalists at the swearing-in ceremony of  new Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Tejashwi Yadav said, “What else would he (Lalu Yadav) say? He was simply addressing your questions.”

Tejashwi Yadav, however, added that the new year would witness the end of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government. He further accused Mr Kumar of being “captive” to a small group of close advisors and no longer capable of running Bihar independently.

Union Minister and JD(U) leader Lalan Singh dismissed Lalu Yadav’s remarks. “The NDA is strong. JD(U) and BJP are united. People can say whatever they want – it is a free country,” he said. 

Patna:

A massive political row has erupted after Bihar police’s lathicharge against students demanding a re-examination of a recruitment test conducted by the state public service commission. Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has been charged in a police case along with 700-odd unidentified protesters. He has been accused of instigating the protest and creating a law and order problem.

Main opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal has hit out at the poll strategist and accused him of trying to foil the protest. Leader of the Opposition in Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, did not name Mr Kishor but said some people tried to mislead the protesters as the ruling BJP’s “B team”.

What’s The Protest About?

Since December 13, students have been protesting against alleged irregularities in the BPSC exam and demanding a re-test. The examinees have alleged that the question paper was leaked. Some have said there was delay in distributing question paper and some students got them an hour later. Others said answer sheets were torn. The protest was being held at Gardanibagh in Patna.

The Protest Call

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor joined the protests last week and called a Chhatra Sansad (students’ parliament) at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan Sunday. Irregularities had become a norm in BPSC exams and the meeting was to find a solution. Soon after the meeting, the district administration said Gandhi Maidan was a restricted area and strict action would be taken against anyone who broke the law.

What Happened Sunday

According to Mr Kishor, the meeting decided that the protest would be not by coaching centres or politicians, but by students alone. “Gandhi Maidan is a public place, there is no question of permission. They were not protesting. We decided on this place because there was a large number of students. The students sat there and discussed issues peacefully. They then chose the leaders of the movement. There was no problem,” he told the media.

Mr Kishor said it was then decided that the students would submit their demands to the government. “Two things were decided: we would not do anything the government can call illegal and we will stop wherever police stops us.”

The March, The Crackdown

The protesters marched towards Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s residence and were stopped by police. Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena invited them for talks, but they insisted on meeting the Chief Minister. For about two hours, the protesters demonstrated where they were stopped. Police warned them to disperse, but they stayed put. At one point, some of the protesters broke a barricade. Police responded by a lathicharge and used water cannons.

Prashant Kishor Draws Fire

In the aftermath of the police action, several videos of protesters criticising Mr Kishor are circulating on Internet. They say Mr Kishor “fled” the spot before the police action after egging them on. When Mr Kishor went to meet the protesters at the Gardanibagh protest site in the evening, an altercation broke out. In a video that has gone viral, Mr Kishor is heard calling a protester a “brand new leader”. The protester responded that Mr Kishor was the leader. At one point, Mr Kishor is heard saying, “You asked me for blankets, and you are misbehaving?” The student replied, “You are trying to intimidate us with blankets?” A heated exchange followed, with the students also raising ‘go back’ slogans. NDTV cannot verify the video’s authenticity.

दो कौड़ी के बाज़ारू लोग राजनीति को भी दुकानदारी समझ बैठे है। जैसे अपने पेड स्टाफ सह पेड कार्यकर्ताओं पर धौंस जमाते है वैसे ही जनता को समझ लिया है। इ बिहार है बाज़ारू बाबू- बीजेपी के पैसे से यहाँ वोट और मुद्दा नहीं बंटेगा pic.twitter.com/Wx0YGXNKPV

— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) December 30, 2024

Sharing the video, RJD’s official handle said, “He thinks the people are his paid staff and his trying to intimidate them. This is Bihar’s Bazaru Babu. BJP’s money won’t split votes and issue here.”

Mr Kishor has told the media that he had left the spot before the police action began. “We will not spare the ones who did this.”

वीडियो देखकर कलेजा काँप गया जिस तरह से छात्रों को ठंड में पीटा गया है। क्या कोई नेता का बेटा, अधिकारी का बेटा को ऐसे पुलिस मार सकती है ? आंदोलन को ख़त्म करने के लिए BJP अपने दलाल को प्लांट किया और लाठी खिलवा दिया बच्चों को और ख़ुद भाग गया।

बीते 11 दिनों से गर्दनीबाग़ में चल रहे… pic.twitter.com/wbYRagtG8b

— Alok Chikku (@AlokChikku) December 29, 2024

Tejashwi Yadav’s BJP ‘B-team’ Jab

Leader of the Opposition Yadav described the lathi charge on the protesters as “heart-rending”. “The peaceful protest was strong. But some people tried to mislead this agitation. I could have called 5 lakh people at Gandhi Maidan, but that wouldn’t be the solution. The peaceful protest had put pressure on the state government and BPSC. So they tried a new formula that BJP’s B Team was moved forward and the movement was shifted to Gandhi Maidan.”

The RJD leader said that when the police crackdown began, “those who said they would be at the forefront fled”. “This is a conspiracy to finish the agitation. I have been repeating this. If I had to politicise this, I would have called you to Gandhi Maidan. Students were misled, now they will face FIR and they cannot appear for the exam.”

Opposition Slams NDA government

Top Opposition leaders have hit out at the JDU-BJP government in Bihar after visuals of the crackdown on students circulated on the Internet. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said instead of stopping paper leaks, students’ voices are being muffled. “Using water cannons and lathicharge against students in this cold is inhuman. BJP’s double engine has become a symbol of double torture on youngsters.” AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said BJP’s governments want to suppress every voice of protest. “This lathicharge on peaceful protesters is an attack on democracy,” he said, adding that AAP stands with students.

Patna:

Days ahead of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Pragati Yatra which will begin on December 23, Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly criticised the JD-U leader while calling the CM’s proposed programme an “Alvida Yatra” (Farewell Tour).

Nitish Kumar is set to embark on the first phase of Pragati Yatra, scheduled to take place from December 23 to December 28.

Tejashwi Yadav pointed to Nitish Kumar’s statement during the 2020 Assembly elections. He asserted that the Chief Minister had then claimed that it would be his “last election”.

“This indicated that Nitish Kumar’s tenure had come to an end, and the upcoming yatra was nothing more than a farewell tour,” he said.

Tejashwi Yadav questioned the rationale behind the extravagant expense of the Pragati Yatra, which the state government was reportedly funding to the tune of Rs 225 crore for just 15 days.

He argued that such an expensive tour is unnecessary for a Chief Minister to meet the people of his own state.

The former Deputy Chief Minister said that “this expenditure is more about allowing government officers to loot the state treasury rather than genuinely engaging with the people”.

Tejashwi Yadav said the Pragati Yatra is not a development or political outreach initiative but as a self-serving exercise, criticising the perceived waste of public funds and the political motivations behind the tour.

Reacting to the statements of Tejashwi Yadav, Samrat Choudhary, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, defended CM Nitish Kumar.

“Nitish Kumar has been regularly doing statewide tours or ‘Yatras’ over the past two decades. It is not a new political strategy to meet the people of Bihar,” Choudhary said.

Besides, he also slammed Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family alleging his long-standing corruption and misgovernance in Bihar during his tenure as Chief Minister of Bihar and Union Minister.

As per the schedule of Pragati Yatra’s first phase, Nitish Kumar will visit West Champaran (Bettiah) on December 23.

After staying overnight in Valmiki Nagar, will go to East Champaran (Motihari) on December 24.

As the Christmas Holiday is on December 25, there is no programme on that day.

He will visit Sheohar and Sitamarhi on December 26, he will visit Muzaffarpur on December 27 and on December 28, he will visit Vaishali and then return to Patna.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Senior RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said he has no objection to any senior leader of the INDIA bloc, including TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, leading the coalition, but stressed that the decision must be reached through consensus.

Tejashwi Yadav, who is the leader of the opposition in Bihar assembly, told reporters at the city airport, “INDIA bloc hasn’t thought on this matter and there has to be a discussion involving all stakeholders.” “We have no issue with Mamata Banerjee leading the bloc, but keeping in mind there are so many senior politicians in the the anti-BJP coalition, there’s a need to sit together and take a collective decision on choosing a leader,” he said.

Asked if RJD, as a key member of the INDIA bloc, is open to the idea of the West Bengal Chief Minister taking over the reins, Tejashwi Yadav, the son of RJD patriarch and veteran politician Lalu Prasad Yadav, responded, “We have not yet collectively taken a call on the issue of future leadership. But when any decision is taken about who will be the leader and the future roadmap, it will be through consensus.”

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Patna:

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday dismissed speculations of a realignment with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming that the time was up for the “tired” JD(U) president.

Mr Yadav lost his job as the deputy chief minister in January when Mr Kumar abruptly returned to the BJP-led NDA.

Talking to reporters in Banka district, the RJD leader challenged him to use his clout with the Centre to get a caste census done besides securing special status for the state and a relief package for areas devastated by recent floods.

“The question (of joining hands with Nitish Kumar) does not arise. His time is up. He is tired and no more able to govern Bihar”, said Yadav, now the leader of the opposition, in reply to a query as to whether he was ready for a realignment if the offer came from the JD(U) supremo.

Notably, Mr Yadav’s party, headed by his father Lalu Prasad, has had two partnerships, both short-lived, with the JD(U). The two parties first allied in 2015, when the coalition registered a spectacular victory in the assembly polls, though Kumar went back to the NDA two years later.

Mr Yadav noted that the BJP, which now does not have a majority in Lok Sabha, was “dependent” on JD(U) to hold on to power.

“Still, Nitish Kumar failed to secure a special category status. He has not been able to put pressure on the Narendra Modi government for a caste census. Recently, when floods hit, no top central leader came nor was any special aid announced,” alleged Mr Yadav.

He added: “In 2008, when my father was the Railway Minister, all types of help, including a Rs 1,000 crore package, was given for flood relief. The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had also toured the affected region.” Yadav, who is on a state-wide tour during which he will seek to galvanize party cadres for the assembly polls due next year, also disclosed he will be visiting Jharkhand where elections have been announced.

“I will leave for Ranchi tomorrow. We will defeat the NDA in alliance with JMM, Congress and the Left (in Jharkhand). By-elections have been announced for Bihar also. We had three of these seats in the 2020 assembly polls. We will try to win all the four in by-polls,” said Yadav.

The RJD leader made light of the “Hindu Swabhiman Yatra” which Union minister Giriraj Singh, a senior BJP leader, has proposed to take out from Bhagalpur later this week.

“Giriraj Singh has been a Union minister for 10 years. He has no achievements to showcase. So he is back to his pet theme of Hindu-Muslim,” said Yadav. P

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Sofas, water taps, wash basins, air conditioners, lights, beds are missing from the official bungalow vacated by Tejashwi Yadav, claims the BJP, suggesting that the items have been “stolen”. The Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD, Tejashwi Yadav’s party, has hit back asking the BJP to release the inventory.

The development comes days ahead of Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary moving into the bungalow at 5 Deshratan Road in Patna previously held by Tejashwi Yadav. Mr Chaudhary will move into the new house on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami.

“We are bringing to light how the Deputy Chief Minister’s house has been robbed of its belongings. When Sushil Modi had shifted to this house, there were two hydraulic beds, there were sofa sets for guests and this was for everywhere to see, including the press. All those things are missing,” Shatrughan Prasad, Personal Secretary of Samrat Chaudhary, told news agency IANS. 

“More than 20 split ACs are missing. There is no computer or chair in the operating room. There is no fridge or RO in the kitchen. Lights have been snatched from the walls,” he added.

The RJD, in its defence, asked the BJP to get the Bhawan Nirman Vibhag to release the inventory, failing which they should apologise. 

“The leader of opposition in Bihar assembly has vacated the 5 Deshratan Marg bungalow. The Bhawan Nirman Vibhag must release the inventory. We have all the evidence. Our people, along with media, were also making a video. We challenge you to release the inventory or apologise if you can’t do that,” said Shakti Yadav, national spokesperson, RJD.

Jumping into the controversy, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who represents Begusarai in Bihar, also slammed the RJD leadership and demanded a detailed probe to establish the scale of ‘theft’ at the Deputy Chief Minister’s residence.

“Samrat Chaudhary has been allotted this bungalow and was to shift to this house in Navratri. Essentials such as wash basins, water taps, and furniture are missing. The hydraulic bed has been taken away. The mat in the badminton court has been taken away. The gym is empty, there are no exercise machines. Foundation’s lights have been taken off,” claimed Danish Iqbal, Bihar BJP’s Media In-charge, who also inspected the premises.

New Delhi:

A war of words between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has escalated over the Assam government’s move to scrap the practice of two-hour assembly session adjournment for jumma prayers.

While Mr Sarma from the ruling BJP pointed out the decision was taken jointly by all MLAs including Hindu and Muslim leaders, Mr Yadav alleged the Assam Chief Minister’s party has made Muslims soft targets to spread hate and polarise society.

What escalated the exchange between the two was Mr Yadav’s post on X that took a swipe at Mr Sarma as someone who wants to “gain cheap popularity and become the Chinese version of Yogi,” alluding to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

असम के मुख्यमंत्री सस्ती लोकप्रियता हासिल करने एवं “योगी का चाइनीज़ वर्जन” बनने के प्रयास में जानबुझकर मुसलमानों को परेशान करने वाले कृत्य करते रहते है। BJP के लोगों ने नफ़रत फैलाने, मोदी-शाह का ध्यान आकृष्ट करने एवं समाज में धुर्वीकरण करने के लिए मुसलमान भाइयों को सॉफ्ट टारगेट… pic.twitter.com/tVue9mXoY9

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) August 30, 2024

The RJD leader did not indicate if he was referring to inferior quality goods from China, or the north-east region, where people have often complained of racist remarks directed towards them.

Responding to Mr Yadav’s attack, Mr Sarma said, “Doing away with the two-hour jumma break was not the Chief Minister’s decision, but of all Hindu and Muslim legislators. When the assembly Speaker on Friday announced it, no Muslim MLA in the house raised any protest. There are 25 Muslim MLAs in Assam assembly, out of a total 126.”

असम में जुम्मे के ब्रेक को ख़त्म करने के निर्णय को कांग्रेस ने भी समर्थन दिया। बिहार या देश की किसी भी अन्य विधानसभा में ऐसा कोई ब्रेक है ही नहीं। मैं हैरान हूँ कि असम के बाहर के लोग बिना सोचे-समझे इसका विरोध कर रहे हैं। pic.twitter.com/fuUhhEi1nf

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 31, 2024

The Assam Chief Minister said the proposal to do away with this provision in the rules of procedures of the assembly was placed before the rules committee, headed by the Speaker, which unanimously agreed to drop the jumma practice.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is from the BJP, waded into the battle and attacked Mr Yadav, alleging that the RJD leader had labelled the Assam Chief Minister “a Chinese just because he is from the northeast.”

“It appears that the INDI Alliance is made up of a bunch of ignorant racists who have no information about the history and geography of our country. First, it was Sam Pitroda. Now, it’s Tejashwi Yadav who is being racist towards the people of northeast,” Mr Singh said.

It appears that the INDI Alliance is made up of a bunch of ignorant racists who have no information about the history & geography of our country.

First, it was Sam Pitroda. Now, it’s Tejashwi Yadav who is being racist towards the people of North east.

It is unfortunate that a… pic.twitter.com/uc78LpohC2

— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) August 31, 2024

Mr Sarma also shot back at Mr Yadav, accusing him of “hypocrisy”. “Tejashwi Yadav is criticising me but I want to ask him… is there any such practice in Bihar? You (Mr Yadav) should have implemented a four-hour break when you were deputy chief minister of Bihar. Practice it first before preaching,” Mr Sarma said.

He added the decision was being criticised only outside Assam, while the state MLAs showed commitment to work for development.

In May 2021, a blogger from Punjab was charged by the Arunachal Pradesh government for his racial remarks against a Congress MLA. The YouTube blogger Paras Singh had in a video termed then Congress MLA Ninong Ering a “non-Indian” and claimed the “state was a part of China”, sparking furore among Arunachal residents as well as people from other parts of the country. Paras Singh was arrested and brought to Arunachal Pradesh, where he said he realised his mistake and sought apology. He was granted bail and allowed to return home.

New Delhi:

Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor has punched a hole in Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav’s claim that Bihar has been lagging in key development indicators despite having a “double-engine” government.

Mr Yadav had yesterday alleged the BJP is only power-hungry and neglects the public’s concerns.

“Bihar is number one in unemployment, poverty, inflation and in corruption… Bihar is also number one in crime… Despite having a government at the centre and state, nothing has been corrected… BJP people are greedy for power only. They have nothing to do with the public,” said Mr Yadav, the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly.

He called Chief Minister Nitish Kumar a “tired chief minister”. The statement came after Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Singh alleged Mr Yadav kept silent when Hindus in Bangladesh were attacked, and called it “appeasement politics.”

A day later, Prashant Kishor, the former election strategist for many political parties and now who heads the aspiring party Jan Suraaj, said it is “laughable” when Mr Yadav speaks about development.

“I may give comments if Tejashwi Yadav spoke on caste, extortion, liquor mafia, crime… but if Tejashwi Yadav discusses development model, it is laughable. They have been in power for the last 15 years. He does not know what GDP and GDP growth are, and is talking about the development story of Bihar,” Mr Kishor told reporters.

“As far as crime is concerned, when Tejashwi Yadav was the Deputy Chief Minister six months ago, Bihar was Switzerland for him and after six months Bihar has become a gutter… If today Nitish Kumar joins Mahagathbandhan, Bihar will again start looking great to him…” Mr Kishor said.

#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: On RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor says, “Comments can be made if Tejashwi Yadav speaks on caste, extortion, liquor mafia, crime… but if Tejashwi Yadav discusses development model, it is laughable. They have been in power for… pic.twitter.com/EuABlaR91l

— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2024

He has said his new outfit Jan Suraaj will contest the Bihar assembly election 2025.

Mr Kishor had once worked with Nitish Kumar, but in January the former election strategist called the Bihar Chief Minister “paltumaar” and said flip-flops have become a part of his politics. Experts have speculated the Jan Suraaj may back some candidates in the next Bihar election.

Bihar has been demanding a special economic package from the centre. The Union Budget 2024 announced a Rs 58.9-crore growth package for Bihar.

With inputs from ANI

New Delhi:

The Rouse Avenue court on Saturday reserved an order on summoning former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and others in land for a job money laundering case under PMLA. The court is to pronounce the order on August 24.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recently filed a supplementary charge sheet.

Special judge Vishal Gogne after considering the supplementary charge sheet and submissions of ED’s counsel reserved the order on summoning Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son Tejashwi Yadav, and nine other charge-sheeted accused.

The ED on August 6, filed an Ist supplementary charge sheet against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and other accused.

This supplementary charge sheet has the names of Lallan Chaudhary, Hazari Rai, Dharmender Kumar, Akhileshwar Singh, Ravinder Kumar, Late Lal Babu Rai, Sonmatia Devi, Late Kishun Dev Rai and Sanjay Rai.

It also has 96 relied-upon documents.

On July 6, the Rouse Avenue court granted time and directed that ED shall file an additional/ concluding charge sheet by the next date of hearing.

The joint director of Enforcement Director had also appeared under the direction of the court. He apprised the court about the status of the investigation and steps taken by the agency.

Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, her daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav along with other accused had already been charge-sheeted by the ED in this case.

ED’s SPP Manish Jain along with Snehal Sharda appeared for ED before the court.

The special public prosecutor (SPP) clarified that it is a supplementary charge sheet based on the evidence and material the agency has till now.

Earlier, the court had directed the ED to expedite the investigation, it had directed that ED shall file an additional/concluding charge sheet by the next date.

In April, the court had directed the ED to finalise the conclusion of the pending investigation in the Land for Job money laundering case within two weeks.

In this case, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav have been charge-sheeted along with Amit Katyal and Hridyanand Chaudhary. All accused except Amit Katyal appeared through video conferencing.

On February 28, the court granted regular bail to Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti, Hema Yadav, and Hridyanand Chaudhary.

Motihari (Bihar):

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday claimed another bridge in Bihar has caved in, though an official said it was a makeshift structure that got washed away in heavy rainfall.

Mr Yadav, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, shared on his X handle a video of the incident that has taken place in East Champaran district.

In the clip, people can be heard blaming the use of spurious material for the incident in a village falling under the Madhuban block.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

बिहार के पूर्वी चंपारण में आज फिर एक पुल और गिरा। सरकार थोड़े गिरी है जो खबर बनेगी?

बीते दिनों में यह वाँ भ्रष्टाचारी पुल गिरा है। पुलिया, सड़क और बाँध टूटने एवं धँसने के तो मामले अनगिनत है। #Bihar
pic.twitter.com/Rzcnm4B5QH

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) July 7, 2024

District Magistrate Saurabh Jorwal said he was aware of the incident but asserted that it was “not a bridge, not even a causeway”.

“A sewage line passes through Lohargawan village. Some parts of it were uncovered. As per the information we have, a decision was taken at the Panchayat level a few years back to erect a structure across the drain to help people cross it without difficulty”, the DM told PTI over the phone.

Accordingly, the drain was covered with the makeshift structure, not more than a few feet long, he said.

“As is the case with such unregulated works, mud was used and hence it got washed away when heavy rains battered the area. Nonetheless, we are looking into the matter and will do, at our level, whatever is needed,” added the district magistrate.

The incident comes in the backdrop of more than a dozen bridges and causeways collapsing in several Bihar districts in the last couple of weeks, prompting authorities to place under suspension at least 15 engineers, even though no casualties have taken place in such mishaps.

The bridge collapse incidents have also led to a political slugfest, with Mr Yadav training his guns at the Nitish Kumar government, but the ruling NDA shifting the blame on the RJD, pointing out that the Rural Works portfolio was with the party till it was ousted from power in January this year. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)