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.

BIHAR'S FRIEND SEND MORE HELP

Temporarily putting all political differences aside in view of the grim flood situation in Bihar that so far has taken nearly a hundred lives, leaders of various states have opened up their coffers to mount relief operations in the flood-ravaged areas where more than 3 million people have been displaced following the breach in Kusahi dam nearly two weeks ago.
Anti-Bihari sentiments fomented by segregationist Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray notwithstanding, the Maharashtra government on Sunday announced a donation of Rs. 10 crore for relief efforts in Bihar.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, following a meeting with his ministers and bureaucrats on Saturday, said he was sending Rs. 10 crore to the Chief Minister Relief Fund in Bihar. He also said he was dispatching medicines, milk powder, tarpaulins and other items needed to run a relief shelter in flood- hit areas.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, during a telephonic talk with his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar on Sunday, pledged to send Rs. 5 crore for relief operation.
Modi also ordered dispatching of 12 rescue teams comprising 50 highly- trained emergency experts to join hundreds of relief workers in Bihar.
Stepping up to the plate in view of the dire situation in Bihar, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also announced a financial assistance of Rs. 10 crore towards the Chief Minister Relief Fund while promising to send additional aid, if required.
Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday pledged a donation of Rs. 5 crore for the flood victims in Bihar.
"This is a calamity of unprecedented magnitude and the people of Haryana are with Bihar in their time of need," Hooda said adding food and other relief items were also being sent to ease some burden on Nitish Kr.

HELP FLOOD VICTIMS

You can help Flood Victims of Bihar by sending cheque/draft to
'Chief Minister Relief Fund, Bihar'
A/C No. 10839124928 ,
SBI Secretariat Branch,
Patna.
Address:
Chief Minister Secretariat
4 K.G. Deshratna Marg,
Patna - 800001
Bihar
Disaster relief State Control Room Number:
91-612-2217305 / 2215027 / 6452572