Din over cops' reinstatement

Patna: The state legislative council witnessed uproar during the question hour on Thursday, with NDA members protesting against the revocation of the suspension of police officers allegedly involved in the June 24, 2013 Bagaha police firing incident, which had claimed the lives of six Tharu tribals.

"With the judicial inquiry's final report still awaited, how can the government revoke the suspension of any officer related to this case," asked BJP member Lal Babu Prasad said while raising the matter. The state government had set up a judicial commission headed by a retired judge of Patna high court to probe the Bagaha police firing incident on June 28, 2013. It was expected to submit its report within six months, but the panel's term was extended till 2016.

Replying to the question, energy minister and in charge of home department Bijendra Prasad Yadav said the government cannot put pressure on the probing judge to submit his report on a specific date. To this, BJP member Mangal Pandey asked the minister to give a specific reply to why the government chose to revoke the suspension of 12 police officers when the probe was still on.

Leader of the opposition Sushil Kumar Modi (SuMo) also joined the issue and sought a specific reply from the minister. The minister and

SuMo

were locked in a verbal duel for a few minutes. The agitated minister told SuMo to ask a separate question about the revocation and promotion of police officials in this case.

Lal Babu Prasad said the suspension of all the accused policemen was revoked. Not only was the then SDPO's suspension revoked but he was also promoted as ASP.

In between the heated arguments, NDA members, including Rajnish Kumar, Lal Babu Prasad, K K Singh, Harendra Pratap Pandey, Sanjay Mayukh, Nawal K Yadav (all BJP), Nutan Singh (LJP) and Sanjiv Shyam Singh (RLSP) raised antigovernment slogans after trooping into the well of the House .

Facing the heat from opposition parties, deputy chairman Haroon Rashid adjourned the House during zero hour till lunch break.