Kanhaiya detained in Bihar, released later

BHITIHARWA (BIHAR): Communist Party of India’s national executive council member, Kanhaiya Kumar, was on Thursday detained and later released following his arrival at the Mahatma Gandhi Ashram in Bihar’s West Champaran district.

Kumar was scheduled to address a public meeting at Motihari as part of a campaign, which was slated to conclude with a rally on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary on Thursday. On Wednesday, the local administration cancelled Kumar’s public meeting at Bettiah.

Sub-divisional police officer Suryakant Choubey said Kumar was detained considering “the law and order situation” in view of the Saraswati festival. “Trouble may well have erupted if they [Kumar and his supporters] were allowed to move further. So, we detained Kanhaiya Kumar,” said Choubey. Kumar was later released, police said.

Earlier in the day, Kumar, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader, arrived at the ashram on route to Chanpatiya, where he planned an overnight stay. When Kumar was about to leave the ashram after paying obeisance to Mahatma Gandhi he was stopped and taken into custody.

Kumar’s supporters soon gathered at the ashram and began shouting slogans. Addressing the gathering, Kumar accused the Bihar government and the Centre of being hell-bent on suppressing voices of the common people.

THE CPI LEADER WAS SCHEDULED TO ADDRESS A PUBLIC MEETING AT MOTIHARI