NRC-NPR apprehensions: Researchers prevented from conducting survey in Darbhanga village

Jha told The Indian Express: “Thirteen Lucknow-based scholars, including four women, visited Jhagarua village in Jamalpur police station area on Thursday morning. They were from a team run by Lucknow’s Dr Shekhar Singh. They asking people about government scheme benefits and they were carrying a questionnaire on rating various political parties. Some villagers became suspicious.”

Jha said the researchers were not allowed to conduct the survey and the local residents informed police. Police later brought them to the police station. “We took photocopies of their Aadhaar cards and let them go. They were not held hostage but were prevented from conducting any survey,” said Jha.

He said the team had not informed police before starting the survey. “Since we saw 3-4 similar instances in Darbhanga town, we immediately responded and were convinced with the research team’s explanation.”

A senior police officer said nobody had misbehaved with the researchers.