Madhubani bandh total

madhubani: a shocked madhubani observed a near-total bandh on friday to protest ‘criminal administrative failure’ in preventing a self-immolation bid by a shiv sena activist, kashi nath jha, on thursday despite prior information. surprisingly, the incident had taken place in the presence of a magistrate, police and a medical team ready with an ambulance.all shops remained closed and all modes of transport stayed off the road. only a few private vehicles, besides some rickshaws and cycles, were seen plying here and there. teaching in educational institutions was also affected. despite promulgation of section 144 in the town and deployment of forces at sensitive points, the police had to open two rounds of fire in the air to disperse a stone-pelting mob near shankar chowk here. later, towards noon, a group of agitators set the cables of telephone department on fire at shankar chowk. fire brigade was rushed to the spot to control the fire. situation in the town is tense. jha, reportedly a shiv sena activist, of bhatsimar village under the rajnagar police station, received about 90 per cent burn injuries while trying to immolate himself in the local municipal office compound on thursday to protest hike in holding tax. he, along with four others, was on a fast-unto-death since february 19 in front of the municipal office under the banner of nagar vikas parishad in protest against hike in the holding tax. meanwhile, district magistrate b rajendra, while briefing the press on friday, claimed that the victim is not kashi nath jha but one radha kant mishra, son of late tara kant mishra of bhatsimar village under the rajnagar police station, and was convicted in an idol theft case. he further said that radha kant mishra is a leprosy patient and also an accused in the killing his father. the dm, however, could not give any concrete evidence regarding his claim. the dm alleged that radha kant mishra alias kashi nath jha was set ablaze by some miscreants. he said that he had no information about this agitation for withdrawal of hike in the holding tax. when he came to know of it on thursday, he invited a delegation for discussion, which, however, did not turn up. doubts about the identity of the victim and of his background notwithstanding, the fact remains that kashi nath jha or radha kant mishra received 90 per cent burn injuries in presence of the police and magistrate and is presently struggling for life in the dmch. refuting the administration’s claim that the victim was set ablaze by some miscreants, eyewitness accounts say that petrol was poured over him by one of his accomplishes while he himself lighted the matchstick and set himself ablaze. and all this in presence of the magistrate on duty, id mandal, sdp (headquarters), officer-in-charge of the town police station and a doctor.