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Munger SP Lipi Singh, DM Rajesh Meena Removed Over Durga Puja Procession Shooting

Manavjit Singh Dhillon was named new Munger SP and Rachna Patil the new DM.
Screenshot from a video from the incident in Munger that shows police personnel attacking participants in a Durga Puja procession.
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Screenshot from a video from the incident in Munger that shows police personnel attacking participants in a Durga Puja procession.

Amid outrage over the shooting in Munger during a Durga Puja procession, the Election Commission on Thursday removed superintendent of police Lipi Singh and district magistrate Rajesh Meena over the incident.

The Times of India reported that the poll panel has ordered an inquiry into the incident by Magadh divisional commissioner Asangba Chuba Ao.

Singh, an IPS officer of the batch of 2016, drew flak for her directions to open fire during the incident that left one person dead and several others injured. Singh is the daughter of Ram Chandra Prasad Singh. He is a Rajya Sabha MP and member of the JD(U).

The Indian Express reported that Manavjit Singh Dhillon was named the new Munger SP and Rachna Patil the new DM.

The incident was followed by violent protests in Munger on Thursday.

When the police opened fire on a Durga Puja procession, Singh had told the media that everything was under control.

“During Durga puja immersion, some anti-social elements restored to stone pelting which injured 20 policemen after this someone from the crowd fired leading to one death. Situation under control,” Singh had told ANI.

The firing incident took place on October 26, a day before Bihar held the first phase of the assembly polls.

PTI reported that the incident had an impact on voting with two of the three Assembly seats ― Munger, Jamalpur ― in the district witnessed lower voter turnout as compared to the 2015 polls.

While Munger constituency saw a poll percentage of 54.26% in 2015, it recorded 47.89% on Wednesday. In Jamalpur, PTI reported, the decline was from 49.70% to 47.24%. But Tarapur constituency recorded a polling percentage of 54.80% this time compared to 52.66% in 2015.

The news agency reported that the police department also ordered removal of in-charges of muffasil police station and Basudeopur outpost in connection with the October 26 firing and baton-charge incidents.

RCP Singh was mobbed Wednesday by angry protesters demanding action against the “guilty officials” when he visited Begusarai, where polling is scheduled for November 3.

(with PTI inputs)

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