Patna, Dec 24 (IANS) Performers of a Bihar street circus, who often risked their lives and limbs by displaying dangerous stunts, have gone into hiding after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reportedly ordered their arrest.

Frightened Ranjan Paswan, in his mid-20s, and four of his group performers, including

12-year-old Chunchun, Chaila Bihari and Sarwar, say they have been hiding in a Jehanabad village or its adjoinging district of Gaya to evade arrest.

'We have decided to hide following the police alert to arrest us. We failed to understand our crime. We risk our lives for roadside circus show to entertain people to earn our livelihood,' Paswan, a poor young Dalit, told IANS over telephone Tuesday.

Paswan and his group's trouble began after local TV news channels telecast their

roadside circus show that was watched by the chief minister Monday afternoon. Kumar ordered police to arrest them for risking life and displaying dangerous stunts.

'Nitish Kumar was shocked after he watched their circus show telecast by local TV news channels and directed police to stop them and arrest them,' a senior official in the chief minister's office said.

The group Rajan Champion Cycle Circus and Magic moved from village to village for their show since 2001. But after they were informed that police was looking to arrest them, they decided not to hold any show for now.

'We have been risking our life to earn the livelihood for our poverty-striken family. We also do not want to risk life but there was no option for us,' Paswan, who heads the group, said. In chaste Hindi, Paswan said : ''Paapi pet ke liye khatron se kheltein hain hum, na chahte huein bhi' (We do the dangerous stunts for our bread and butter, even when we don't want to!)'.

In the last show, Chunchun, a minor boy, was put in a five-feet deep grave for 12 hours and it was closed with mud and wooden pieces. But the boy came out alive amid applause from villagers.

In another show, a thick log was placed on the chest of another member of the group and the piece was split with a sharp-edged axe.

Inspector General of Police, Patna zone, P.N. Rai, who was ordered by the chief minister to arrest the group members, said he was informed by police in Jehanabad that the stuntmen fled before cops got the order to arrest them.

However, Rai said all Jehanabad police stations were alerted to arrest them.

Jehanabad superintendent of police Ganesh Kumar said cops would arrest the performers if they were traced in the district.

(Imran Khan can be contacted at imran.k@ians.in)