HOUSES ROBBED IN THE FLOODED BIHAR

Criminals and anti- social elements are looting abandoned houses and robbing hapless evacuees at gun point in flood- affected Bihar as the surging waters have flushed hundreds of thousands of people out of the safety of their homes, say officials.
Dozens of robberies have been reported from Madhepura, Supaul and Saharsa - the districts that are the worst-affected by the floods triggered by Kosi river two weeks ago that have claimed 35 lives and affected over two million people.
"Valuables have been looted from the houses of flood victims in the last two to three days by criminals and anti- social elements in small towns and villages," a police source said here.
"No less than two dozen cases of loot and robbery have been reported in Madhepura town and smaller places like Udakishanganj, Murliganj, Bihariganj in the Madhepura district in the last four days," a district official said.
Similar cases have been reported towns in Supaul and Saharsa. Besides, even boatmen have looted flood victims in the name of rescuing them, say police.
Thousands of people have fled their homes, taking only the bare essentials with them and leaving behind everything else.
Many who have taken shelter in relief camps at Saharsa, Patna, Purnea and Katihar fear that anti-social elements will loot their houses. Some unconfirmed reports of molestation of women have also come in from flood hit areas.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has warned of stern action against those found robbing people in the flooded areas.