Cast War in Bihar Leaves 5 Persons Dead

 Cast War in Bihar Leaves 5 Persons Dead

          Bihar Police on Wednesday arrested Pravin Jha alias Ravan for allegedly killing five members of a Rajput family in the state’s Madhubani district on March 29, reviving memories of caste conflicts that were common in the state till even two decades ago.

         Jha, 30, who was captured on Wednesday, was heading a private armed force called Ravan Sena, said Darbhanga range inspector general of police Ajitabh Kumar. The conflict, ostensibly over fishing rights, is believed to be the flash point in a simmering dispute between two upper castes, Brahmins and Rajputs.

           Five persons, including a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, were killed by Jha and a group of 50 armed people at Mahmudpur village under Benipatti police station on March 29 in a fight over fishing rights in a local pond. The incident took place when people were celebrating Holi, when Jha and the group of men carrying firearms and traditional weapons like swords came near the house of one Ranvijay Singh and started firing indiscriminately. They also attacked people with swords, according to the first information report (FIR) filed by the family of the deceased.