Crime, a little politics turned a community against him

"We have learnt that over 100 villagers surrounded the Thakurs' houses, overpowered them and brought them to the house of the village sarpanch, where a solar lamp was installed," the SP said. "Munna Thakur has told the police that some villagers took acid from the lamp's battery and injected it into their eyes with a syringe."

Munna said he and his cousin, also at PMCH, might be sent to Delhi for treatment.

The SC/ST welfare department, which looks after Mahadalit affairs, has sought a report from the Araria district magistrate. "Though the victims don't belong to a scheduled caste, their community is on the list of Mahadalits. I have asked my department's secretary to get all details of the barbaric incident," said SC/ST Welfare Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Bihar Human Rights Commission member Neelmani said, "Though no complaint has been made to the commission so far, it looks a fit case of suo motu action."

And Shaibal Gupta, member secretary of the Asian Development Research Institute, said, " Masses taking the law in their hands shows that people are losing faith in police."

Aurahi-Hingana is the ancestral home of Fanishwarnath Renu, author of Maila Aaanchal with the village at the centre of the freedom struggle. The village is part of Forbesganj Assembly constituency, represented by the writer's son Padmaparag Renu, who is a BJP member.

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