Locals in Bihar wasted no time stealing fish that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had put in a tank. The incident occurred on Friday at an event in the village of Amarpur, Saharsa, where the CM was invited to, among other things, inaugurate a biofloc tank for breeding fish, which were stolen right after he left.
Kumar was making a chief-ministerial visit to Saharsa, where he first inaugurated the Maa Vishhari temple, in Diwari, before heading to Amarpur for a government exhibition. The event featured several initiatives started by the Bihar administration, including fish farming.
The centrepiece of this Fisheries Department program was a biofloc tank, an enclosure in which fish are bred for food. Kumar, as the chief guest, introduced the first-ever batch that was supposed to be reared for aquaculture.
After wrapping up the event, the CM left, but the locals stayed on. As soon as he was out of sight, a commotion occurred, with people scrambling towards the tank, pushing its walls, bystander footage shows.
Then, a young woman was thrown into the enclosure, with a diver joining her seconds later. In no time, an entire mob was inside the biofloc tank, trying to scoop up fish, all in the presence of officials and security personnel who helplessly watched on.
🐟 Fish Loot Frenzy in Saharsa! 🐟After CM Nitish Kumar’s event in Saharsa, locals swarmed bioflex tanks, looting fish displayed by the Fisheries Dept. 🚁🐠 When asked about the CM’s visit, a youth said, “We came to catch fish, not to see Nitish Kumar!” 🎣🤷♂️#FishLoot#Saharsapic.twitter.com/b6G0gS4IkS
— Patna Press (@patna_press) September 20, 2024
Local media reported that for the majority of the people there, it was never about seeing Nitish Kumar. Instead, they had come to the event with a clear intention: steal fish.
A local, who identified himself as Divyanshu Kumar, said he couldn’t care less about the CM’s attendance – his sole motivation was a feast held later that day.
"I didn't come to meet Nitish Kumar. The moment he left, we all rushed towards the tank. Tonight, we will have a fish party in his name," he said.