Criminals will have to flee Bihar or be sent behind bars: CM Samrat Choudhary

Bhagalpur (Bihar), Jul 15 (PTI) Asserting that the rule of law will prevail in Bihar, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Wednesday said criminals "irrespective of their caste and religion" will have to flee the state or end up behind bars. While launching 211 new degree colleges across the state at an event in Bhagalpur, Choudhary said there would be no compromise on good governance and that the rule of law prevails in the state. "We believe in good governance. There will be no compromise on law and order, and we will take action against criminals irrespective of their caste or religion. The rule of law prevails in the state. Criminals must be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law. They will either have to flee the state or be sent behind the bars...," the CM said. In an apparent reference to RJD national working president Tejashwi Yadav's recent allegation that police action was targeting people belonging to a particular caste, the CM said, "There is no place for people indulging in criminal activities in the state". The CM said that the rise in cybercrime is a matter of concern. "The police are identifying those involved in cybercrime. Such criminals will be caught and sent behind bars," he said. On the opening of 211 new degree colleges across the state, the CM said, "The inauguration of 211 new degree colleges in several blocks across the state is a historic step towards strengthening higher education and making these institutions strong centres of learning, research and innovation." Even after nearly 79 years of Independence, the number of degree colleges in Bihar was limited, said the CM. He also said that 220 acres of land have been transferred for the Vikramshila University project in Bhagalpur. "Vikramshila University will be established within a year. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bhagalpur in 2024, he entrusted us with the task of realising the dream of establishing Vikramshila University after Nalanda University. Today, we have laid the foundation for that dream." Choudhary said the education sector would play a crucial role in Bihar's overall development. "We will soon establish an Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science University in Bhagalpur. Recently, some pillars of the Vikramshila bridge collapsed. We immediately sought the Army's assistance to construct a temporary bridge and restore connectivity. I sanctioned Rs 126 crore for the construction of a new bridge, and it will be reopened for public use before November 20, 2026," he said. PTI COR PKD RG