BJP leader’s father, trader among four killed in separate incidents in Bihar

india

Updated: Mar 16, 2018 20:13 IST

Four people, including the father of a BJP leader, were killed in separate incidents since Thursday evening, in a renewed spurt in criminal activities in Bihar.

More than 20 armed criminals on Thursday late evening attacked the house of one Tej Narayan Yadav, a local BJP leader, in Darbhanga’s Bhadha village and killed his father, 70-year-old Ram Chandra Yadav, police said.

Kamal Yadav, 20, a kin of the BJP leader, sustained injuries in the attack. The BJP leader was not present in the house when the attack happened.

Police said Yadav along with his supporters had recently changed the name of a roundabout in the locality and rechristened it Narendra Modi chowk.

A section of local villagers, including those from minority community, had been protesting the name change.

Eye witnesses said the anger was simmering for a long time but on Thursday evening, the rival group attacked Yadav’s house with sharp and lethal weapons, apparently after being provoked by BJP supporters.

“They came rushing in and hacked the old man with swords,” said Kamal Yadav, who managed to escape with a few injuries.

The state BJP unit condemned the incident even as scores of party workers on Friday thronged the village and blocked the Darbhanga-Laheriyasarai main road near Karpoori chowk, demanding arrest of the assailants and suspension of Sadar station house officer.

“We have arrested four persons in connection with the incident,” said Darbhanga SSP Satyaveer Singh.

Hours earlier, criminals shot dead a shopkeeper dealing in electronic goods at More English village allegedly over an old dispute.

Gautam Yadav, 38, was shutting down his shop around 8pm for the day when three motorcycle borne assailants came from behind and pumped three bullets into his body killing him on the spot, police said.

The murder sparked angry protests as locals took to the streets and blocked the National Highway 31, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and compensation to the family.

Patna senior police superintendent Manu Maharaj said they suspect involvement of one Navin Yadav, a fellow villager of the deceased, in the crime.

“The duo had an altercation over some dispute a month back. The murder seems to be the fallout of the personal feud between the two,” he said.

In the state’s north western district of Supaul, criminals killed two persons in separate incidents since Thursday evening. Social worker Khurshid Alam was shot dead at Lakhsminia village under Triveniganj police station. The motive behind the murder is not yet known.

Within a kilometer away, police found a bullet ridden body of a middle aged man. His face was covered with a towel indicating that the criminals had also tried to strangulate him. The murders sparked protests with locals blocking the NH32. When police arrived to disperse the protestors, the frenzy mob drove them away.

“We are investigating both the murders,” said Supaul superintendent of police Mrityunjay Kumar Choudhary.

In Vaishali district, criminals attacked garment trader Bhola Paswan ( 48), at Anwarpur chowk under town police station and decamped with Rs 1 lakh on Thursday evening.

The motorcycle-borne assailants fired two bullets at the trader. Locals rushed a profusely bleeding Paswan to a nearby hospital from where he was referred to PMCH for further treatment.

Police said looting money was the sole objective of the criminals.

Since January 1, at least 50 people, including traders and minors, have been killed across the state.

Political expert HM Diwakar said that the growing lawlessness in the state is reflecting badly on the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government.