A bitter feud between Supaul’s sanitation workers and local police has plunged the city into filth. Since dawn Monday, municipal corporation sweepers have boycotted duties in an open-ended strike, protesting what they call police brutality. Garbage mounds are now dotting key wards, threatening public health and daily life.
It all began Sunday in Ward 22, where a heated clash erupted over drain digging. Abu Bakar, a resident, allegedly attacked the JCB driver with abuses and caste remarks. Seeking justice, workers first went to ST-SC station but were shunted to Sadar Thana. Refused an FIR there, they retaliated by scattering refuse at the station entrance.
Police response was swift and aggressive, per accounts: a raid on clerk Asjad Alam’s residence led to beatings and six arrests. Released hours later on bonds, the workers returned battered, igniting a firestorm at headquarters. Chief Councilor Raghavendra Jha led the charge for a total work stoppage.
Demanding the station head’s suspension and probes into specific officers, the protesters refuse to budge. Hospital records back their claims, with Dr. Bimal Kumar documenting injuries. As trash accumulates unchecked, Supaul’s markets and roads reek of neglect. The administration scrambles for dialogue, but with tempers high, normalcy seems distant. This standoff exposes deeper rifts in local governance and worker rights.