PATNA, March 17 -- Faced with growing attacks on cops in recent months and Opposition making targeting the Nitish government over deteriorating law and order, the Bihar police has warned that those challenging the police would face bullets and that there is freedom to carry out encounters.

"There is no dearth of ammunition or weapons with the police. There is freedom to the police to carry out encounters if the situation so demands in self defence or for crime control. The restraint shown by the police should not be mistaken as weakness," said ADG headquarters Kundan Krishnan and ADG law and order Pankaj Darad at a joint media interaction on Monday.

The statement of the senior police officers is significant, as the government has been a...