Daijiworld Media Network- Patna

Patna, Aug 28: Bihar’s Rural Development Minister, Shrawan Kumar, faced the ire of angry villagers on Wednesday when he visited Jogipur Malawan in Nalanda district to console families of nine victims killed in a recent road accident.

According to officials, the minister, accompanied by a local MLA, had just begun his visit when a large crowd of locals surrounded them. The villagers, furious over what they termed as the minister’s “delayed response” and the absence of any compensation announcement, turned hostile.

Eyewitnesses said the agitated mob attempted to assault the minister and the MLA. While they escaped unhurt, the minister’s bodyguard sustained injuries in the scuffle. He was rushed to the Hilsa sub-divisional hospital and is undergoing treatment, officials confirmed.

As the convoy of three vehicles tried to exit the village, locals reportedly chased them for nearly a kilometre before police intervened and dispersed the crowd. Security has since been tightened in the area.

JD(U) spokesperson Dhananjay Dev admitted that people were angry with the minister’s working style, while political strategist Prashant Kishor used the incident to hit out at the Nitish Kumar-led government.

“Nitish Kumar’s government has thrashed students, anganwadi and ASHA workers, even sarpanchs in Patna. Now, it is the turn of the public. When they go to seek votes, the people will chase them away,” Kishor remarked.