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Under Lalu Yadav (1990–2005), Bihar was accused of corruptionand lawlessness, often labeled as “Jungle Raj.”
Union Minister Nityanand Rai alleged over 32,000 kidnappings occurred during this period
Dr. Ajay Kumar said Bihar’s kidnapping culture began as a failed bid to curb robberies.
During the Lalu Prasad Yadav government, Bihar witnessed one scandal after another — from the infamous Fodder Scam to the Land-for-Jobs Scam — marking an era that came to be known as “Jungle Raj.” The RJD lost power in 2005. Tejashwi Yadav, now the Opposition’s chief ministerial face, is contesting the 2025 election. Though the “Jungle Raj” era is long past, its shadow continues to haunt the party in every election since. This time too, leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have invoked “Jungle Raj” to attack the RJD, recalling the lawlessness that once defined Bihar.
Among the many cases that surfaced from that time, one of the most chilling was how kidnapping turned into a business. From the late 1980s to the early 2000s, Bihar went through one of its darkest phases — when abductions became a parallel economy.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai recently revisited this chapter while addressing a press conference at the BJP state office in Patna. He claimed that during the 15-year rule of the RJD (1990–2005), Bihar had become a hub of robbery, extortion, murder, and abduction. Citing government data, Rai said more than 32,000 kidnappings occurred during that period. He asserted that the state had plunged into lawlessness, where even schoolchildren were unsafe, and people feared stepping out of their homes. Rai alleged that the kidnapping networks enjoyed political protection and that the entire system was influenced by those in power.
Amid these renewed political attacks, Dr. Ajay Kumar, a political commentator, shared an old story related to how this kidnapping “industry” may have actually begun. In his account, Dr. Kumar recalled a story from his police days involving a close friend who later became Director General of Police (DGP) in Andhra Pradesh and was also a childhood friend of Nitish Kumar.
He explained that when this officer was posted as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Bitya, he faced an area infested with dacoit gangs. These groups frequently raided villages and homes, spreading panic across the region. Seeking to curb direct violence and frequent robberies, the officer allegedly suggested to the criminals that instead of looting, they could earn money through kidnappings — by abducting wealthy individuals, demanding ransom, and releasing them after payment.
What started as a simple idea to reduce robberies soon spiraled into a massive criminal network. Gangsters realised that kidnapping was more profitable and less risky than armed robbery. Over time, abductions spread across districts, and gangs began working in coordination — identifying rich targets, arranging vehicles, negotiating ransom, and dividing the money.
This shift laid the foundation of Bihar’s kidnapping economy — a time when crime, politics, and policing became entangled. What began as a local tactic grew into a statewide menace, creating an atmosphere of fear that defined Bihar’s image for years and became the most defining symbol of its so-called “Jungle Raj.” [Rh]
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