Bihar politician booked for inciting mob against Maharashtrian official

Patna, Nov 9 (IANS) A police complaint was lodged against Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) leader in Bihar's Purnea district for inciting a mob that targeted a senior woman official from Maharashtra, police said Sunday.

Last month in response to the attacks on north Indians in Maharashtra, Ashwini Dattarey Thackeray, a Bihar cadre Indian Administrative Service (probationer) officer, was the target of a mob of over 200 people.

On Oct 31, the mob led by Madhav Singh, Purnea district president of central minister Ramvilas Pawan's LJP, surrounded Thackeray's office in Purnia, about 350 km from here, and shouted slogans like 'Go back Maharashtrians' and 'Officer go back, we do not need your services'.

Officials in the district administration said that police have lodged First Information Report (FIR) against Singh, accused him of inciting the crowd on the basis of language, caste and religion.

'A case was lodged against Singh under section 153 A of the IPC (Indian Penal Code), a non bailable (offence),' a police official said.

Police officials said that action against Singh was initiated following an intelligence report that indicted him.

The district administration also seized CDs from the local TV channel for evidence that Singh incited the mob against Ashwini Dattarey Thackeray for her being a Maharashtrian.

Her security was tightened after the incident.

'She has been provided full security,' an official said, adding it was the first time that a government official from Maharashtra has been targeted since protests against the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) began last month in the state.

Some people said here that her surname is the same as that of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who has invited flak for his parochial outbursts against migrants from north India working in Mumbai and other places in the state.

Ashwini Dattarey Thackeray, who is currently posted as Sub Divisional Officer (SDO), downplayed the incident.

The MNS' attacks on north Indians, especially from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra has triggered angry reactions in Bihar, particularly after killing of Rahul Raj by the Mumbai Police in a city bus last month.

Rahul's father Kundan Prasad Singh has claimed his son was killed in a 'fake encounter'.

Raj's killing sparked a row between the politicians of Maharashtra and Bihar with several parties demanding a judicial probe into the incident.

Maharashtra Chief Secretary Johny Joseph is conducting an independent probe into the incident while the Mumbai Police crime branch is also conducting an internal enquiry.