Bihar Police responds to Tejashwi Yadav's criticism on law and order

Patna, April 9 (IANS) Bihar Police has issued a detailed response to Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who has repeatedly raised concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

Taking serious note of a recent post where Tejashwi Yadav mentioned 76 alleged criminal incidents, the Police Headquarters clarified that 46 of those incidents have been identified and thoroughly examined.

In its statement, the police revealed that 112 accused individuals have already been arrested and sent to jail in connection with these 46 incidents.

According to the Police Headquarters, 1,632 individuals have been arrested in murder cases between January 1 and April 7, 2025, while 947 people were apprehended for attacks on police personnel.

Additionally, 697 individuals were arrested in connection with robbery cases, and 281 in dacoity-related incidents.

The police claimed that a majority of the incidents flagged by Tejashwi Yadav were minor in nature, stemming from issues such as money disputes, land conflicts, family feuds, romantic relationships, and mobile-related quarrels.

Each incident is being investigated thoroughly, with police stating they are “working with full dedication and honesty.”

The Police Headquarters objected to what it called “unnecessary and demoralising” social media commentary.

It noted that the absence of specific details like dates and police station names in Tejashwi Yadav’s post made several of the claimed incidents unverifiable.

The police emphasised that “sensationalism” around law and order could negatively impact the morale of security forces.

Citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, the Bihar Police highlighted that Bihar ranks 14th in murder cases based on crime rate per lakh population. In 2022, the total cognizable crime rate in Bihar was 277.1 per one lakh population, while the national average stood at 422.2. Bihar ranked 19th in this metric.

Under the Indian Penal Code, Bihar's crime rate was 168.1, placing the state in 21st position among Indian states and union territories. In 2021, 69.73 per cent of crimes were linked to personal enmity, illicit relations, or disputes.

In 2022, this rose to 71.20 per cent, and in 2023, it increased further to 73.69 per cent. The Police Headquarters concluded by reaffirming its commitment to public safety and transparent policing while urging political leaders to avoid undermining ongoing investigations with incomplete or misleading information.

The crime rate in Bihar compared to some big states is low. As per the data, the national cognizable crime rate – 422, Andhra Pradesh - 368.2, Chhattisgarh - 404.2, Gujarat - 738.9, Haryana - 810.4, Kerala - 1274.8, Madhya Pradesh - 569.3, Maharashtra - 443.0, Odisha - 386.7, Rajasthan - 388.8, Tamil Nadu - 617.2, Uttar Pradesh - 322.0 and Bihar - 277.1 per lakh population.

--IANS

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