The anger in Bhagalpur was directed against the state government officials and a power house and other office were set ablaze. Cars of district magistrate and senior superintendent of police were also targeted. Police and RPF personnel had to resort to lathi-charge in which many people were injured.
Though the mob reaction was spontaneous and there was no such call by opposition parties the ire was directed against the leaders of the ruling combine. People pelted stones and tore the posters carrying pictures of chief minister NItish Kumar, deputy chief minister and former MP from Bhagalpur, Sushil Kumar Modi and the present BJP MP, Syed Shahnawaz Husain, to ventilate their anger as they were going without electricity and water for the last many days. This notwithstanding the fact that the 2000 MW mega-plant of the NTPC is situated only 32 km from the city.

Three years back Kahalgaon, in the same district, where the NTPC power plant is situated, witnessed similar anger leading to the police firing which led to the death of several people.

The issue of power and water crisis all over the state had its reverberations in the state Assembly. Among others, Amarendra Pratap Singh of the BJP, raised the issue and said that the situation is very dangerous. Opposition members were openly heard charging the government of doing nothing to solve the problem of power crisis, which is also leading to serious water crisis almost all over the state.

Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary’s repeated appeal to remain calm had little impact as MLAs stood to their ground and charged government with total failure.

Meanwhile, in Bhagalpur situation remained tense, but said to be under control after day-long violence in which the mob also targeted the engine and AC coaches of New Delhi-bound Vikramshila Express. They also ransacked the railway station forcing the RPF to swing into action.

According to DM N Lal, though the officials were targeted but everyone is safe and the situation is under control. He said power shortage is the state-wide problem.

Bhagalpur, at least requires 45 MW of power, but for the last four days there was absolutely no power in the city.

Almost similar is the situation in Muzaffarpur city of north Bihar, which too is situated just near the Kanti Thermal Power Plant of the state government. The town has been facing acute water crisis too though summer is yet to arrive. Local residents staged dharna and held demonstration against the state government’s total failure to tackle the problem.

As most Bihar cities and towns are facing acute water and power shortage angry mob, be it in Bhagalpur or Muzaffarpur or the Opposition MLAs in Bihar Assembly criticised the state government for holding grand function in Patna on the Bihar Diwas. “When the state is facing such a serious shortage of water and power the chief minister is busy wasting crores of rupees in inculcating what he calls Bihari pride. What do you mean by pride when you do not have even the basic necessities available in the state. Is providing water and electricity the Centre’s responsibility?” asked one of them, who wished not to be quoted.

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