A Rashtriya Janata Dal minister has raised a private army to tackle criminals in his assembly constituency in Bihar's West Champaran district.

Rajesh Singh's army, christened 'Fighter Group', has 40 members armed to the teeth.

"The group has been formed to take on the might of criminals, provide security and instil confidence among common people in Dhanha constituency," Singh, the minister of state for transport, said.

The minister, who recently left the Bahujan Samaj Party and joined the RJD, has a rivalry with a notorious dacoit of the area, Basudeo Yadav.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tirhut range, S K Bhardwaj said in Bettiah on Sunday that he had directed the West Champaran superintendent of police to inquire into the antecedents of the members of the private army.

District Magistrate, West Champaran, Rahul Singh said, "If it is a private army with unlawful objectives, suitable legal action will be initiated."

Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Upendra Kushwaha and state Bharatiya Janata Party chief Gopal Narayan Singh criticised the state government over the issue and said this was enough to prove that the law and order situation in the state under the RJD regime had touched its nadir.