Locals block traffic, demand Patel hostel removal

PATNA: The angry residents of Bhikhna Pahari and Chai Tola under Kadamkuan police station area blocked traffic on Ashok Rajpath till 1.30pm on Thursday demanding removal of Patel hostel from their locality and compensation to the family members of Raja who succumbed to his injuries at the PMCH on Wednesday night.
Raja (17) of the same locality was injured in a scuffle between the residents of Chai Tola and Patel Chhatravas inmates on June 4.The boarders had a fight with the locals on June 3 also after which they had hurled two bombs in front of the hostel premises to scare away the residents. The situation remained tense for two days despite a section of police camping in the area. The residents had blocked the roads leading to Bhikhna Pahari demanding removal of the hostel inmates. Following their agitation, the district administration had ordered the inmates to vacate the hostel.
Raja was the son of Subodh Mahto, a tent house owner who was one of the accused in the murder case of Patna College student Rajesh Kumar who had died in the crossfire between the Patel Chhatravas inmates and the Chai Tola residents on March 11 last year. Subodh had surrendered before court and was released on bail.
The violent residents of Bhikhna Pahari and Chai Tola areas forcibly closed the shops alongside the roads. They also burned tyres to stop police from entering the area. They were not ready to perform the last rites of Raja till the administration removed the hostel from their locality.
Patna district magistrate N Saravana Kumar said, "According to the state provisions, the family of the deceased has received adequate compensation and agreed to perform the last rites. We will hold meeting with the competent authority of the hostel to maintain law and order of the locality."