Patna- Amid growing concern over the rising crime rate in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, questioning the state’s worsening law and order situation. Taking a swipe at Nitish Kumar’s long-standing criticism of the “Jungle Raj” during the Lalu-Rabri era, the RJD leader said, “Nitish Kumar used to say that people were afraid to leave their homes after 5 p.m. Are all these crimes now happening after 5 p.m.? Can he tell us how many are taking place in broad daylight, before 5 p.m.?”

Citing official data, Lalu claimed that more than 65,000 murders have occurred during Nitish Kumar’s tenure as Chief Minister. “Does Nitish Kumar even realise that, as per official figures, over 65,000 murders have taken place during his rule?” he wrote in a post on X. He further accused the Nitish Kumar-BJP alliance of dismantling the law enforcement machinery in Bihar. “Nitish-BJP hasn’t just destroyed law and order -- they’ve buried it. Bihar has never seen such a corrupt, indifferent, and lethargic police force,” Lalu alleged.

He also referred to Monday’s double-murder in Patna’s Alamganj area, where three members of a family were shot at in broad daylight, and two later died of their injuries in the hospital. He said such incidents reflect the grim state of public safety in the state. Lalu’s remarks came a day after Bihar ADG (Headquarters) Kundan Krishnan acknowledged a marginal rise in murder cases during a press briefing. According to police data, Bihar recorded a monthly average of 232 murder cases in 2024, which has risen slightly to 233 per month in the first five months of 2025. With Assembly elections in Bihar slated later this year, law and order are fast emerging as major political issues in the state. Opposition leaders are increasingly targeting the ruling NDA government over public safety and administrative efficiency. (IANS)