Bihar man, 'minor' wife die in custody, enraged mob sets police station on fire

In a violent outbreak of anger, villagers in Bihar's Araria district attacked police officers, vandalized a police station, and set it ablaze after a man and his minor 'wife' allegedly died by suicide while in police custody. The incident also resulted in injuries to two villagers after the police opened fire in self-defense.

The unrest began after a 14-year-old girl, who was reportedly married two days earlier to her brother-in-law following his wife's death, was taken into custody along with the man. The police had detained them on Thursday, May 16, after learning that the man was living with the minor as his wife. A preliminary FIR was registered, and both were brought in for questioning.

Tragically, the duo allegedly took their own lives on Thursday evening. A CCTV video purportedly from inside the jail cell shows a man climbing onto the lockup door and hanging himself using a cloth.

News of the alleged suicides ignited outrage among the local community. Villagers accused the police of beating the man and the minor, leading to their deaths in custody. In response, they began protesting, chanting slogans, throwing stones at the officers, and ultimately vandalizing and setting the police station on fire.

The chaos prompted the arrival of senior police officers from various stations to restore order. During the mayhem, five to six police officers were injured, with two sustaining serious injuries. The police fired approximately six rounds, injuring two villagers in the leg and hand.

The situation is now under control. The police have announced that they will take action against those responsible for the violence. Additionally, an investigation into the police firing, which was claimed to be in self-defense, is underway.

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