Patna, March 5 (IANS): Over 1,000 people were detained when they were peacefully protesting near Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's official residence here Wednesday morning, police said.
Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj said police have detained people as they were protesting in a protected area near the chief minister's official residence in violation of rules.
The protestors include Kosi flood victims from Madhepura, Supaul and Saharsa districts, Mahadalits from Gaya, said Ranjeev, an activist working for rights of the flood victims.
"Police forcibly detained us when we were demonstrating for our demands and they put us in different police stations in Patna," said Mahender Yadav, an activist of the Kosi Sangarsh Morcha, who along with hundreds was detained by police and kept in Patliputra Colony police station.
Ranjeev said: "We will continue our protest till all people detained by police are released."
Thousands of flood victims are still awaiting the construction of their houses under the state government's rehabilitation and reconstruction project after their houses were washed away in the flood in Kosi river five years ago.
The victims have been fighting for survival and living in temporary shelters.
Yadav said that under the project, 100,000 houses were to be constructed in the region but only 12,500 have been built.
According to the state government and the World Bank, 236,632 houses collapsed in the floods.