Fifth phase of panchayat election passes off peacefully: but with 923 arrests Patna: according to reports, although the fifth phase of panchayat elections passed off peacefully in 51 blocks of the 37 districts of Bihar, around 923 arrests were made in the election areas. During this phase, votes were cast at 11,604 polling booth by a total of 49, 55,704 voters. The overall polling percentage was 62.6 – Katihar recorded maximum percentage of 73 and Gaya recorded the minimum at 53. During the fifth phase, 250 vehicles and cash of Rs 2,00,450 was seized. Among the prominent incidents –... 

Daily Bihar Jiski lathi uska pani: strongmen in Kaimur control Durgawati canal water Patna: according to reports in the Patna press,  farmers in the Kaimur area are currently facing a terrible problem at the height of the irrigation season. Gangs of local strongmen are charging them steep fees for letting them have the use of Duragawati canal water, something they are entitled to after paying the taxes to the government. Villagers from Jitapur, Asarwaliya, Horilpur, Samuhata, Sarahula etc have been regular victims of strongmen upstream who harass them every year by damming the canal,...