Patna: The parents of children who died of encephalitis in Haribanshpur in Bihar have fled the village to escape arrest. The police have filed FIRs against 19 villagers on the charge of creating a law and order problem by protesting against the water crisis and spread of encephalitis. (Eleven children of the village have died due to brain fever.)
The main grouse of the administration is that the villagers created road blockades on the Vaishali-Hajipur highway to highlight their grievances. Due to the blockade hundreds of vehicles were stranded on June 18.
Incidentally, chief minister Nitish kumar had gone to S M Medical College hospital the same day to meet the encephalitis-stricken children admitted in the intensive care unit. The villagers were under the impression that the chief minister would return to Patna via this route and had organised a protest. The Chief Minister avoiding taking the route but nonetheless had to face hostile attendants of the patients in the hospital; finally, he had to beat a hasty retreat. The villagers on Tuesday admitted that they had gheraoed the local MLA and a party MP as a mark of protest but they did not resort to violence. They have only one regret: That despite 11 deaths, the village remains neglected; hence the protest was organised.
- Chayya Mishra
