Patna, May 23 -- Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar on Saturday said that crime has no link with caste and asserted that a criminal must be treated as a criminal irrespective of social identity.

"A criminal is a criminal, caste has nothing to do with it," the DGP said while responding to remarks made in the backdrop of a political statement on police action during encounters.

The statement comes after Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, while addressing a programme in Gaya on Thursday, made a 'sarcastic' remark suggesting that police personnel should ask the caste of a criminal before opening fire during an encounter.

"Some people are saying that caste should be asked during a police encounter. I say, of course! Ask ...