PATNA, Aug 6: Armed assailants chased and shot dead a local BJP leader Avinash Kumar from close quarters near his house while he was returning after seeing off his daughter at school bus halt point in the heart of Bihar capital today, with the incident being caught on CCTV.
According to the police, three assailants pumped bullets into Kumar, general secretary of BJP’s Patna unit, near his residence near Daldali Road in the city.
The incident sparked protests in the area. BJP MLAs created a ruckus in Bihar Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council over the killing, alleging the incident reflected the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the State.
Both Houses were adjourned twice during the day as BJP legislators trooped into the Well and shouted anti-Government slogans.
Top BJP leaders met the victim’s family and held a meeting at State party headquarters and issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the police to arrest the culprits else they would launch an agitation.
Police have got closed-circuit television footage from a temple, which showed the attackers chasing and shooting Kumar.
“The footage shows three assailants chasing Kumar on foot. They shot him and he fell on the road. One of the assailants then walked up to him and shot him in the head. All the attackers escaped after committing the crime,” a police officer said.
Coordinated raids led by Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vikas Vaibhav were being conducted across the city to nab those involved in the crime. City SP (Central) Chandan Kumar Kushwaha and entire top brass of the city police were involved in the raids.
The SSP said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed under Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ramakant with 25 other officers for probing the murder case. He also said two persons have been taken into custody in this regard and were being interrogated.
“We are probing the case from all angles including Kumar’s enmity with neighbours over ward council elections. I am personally monitoring the case and we will make efforts to ensure arrest of all involved both in the actual incident, as well as, the larger conspiracy,” Vaibhav added.
As news about Kumar’s murder spread, residents of the area came out on roads to protest. They burnt tyres to block roads and staged a sit-in for a few hours demanding the arrest of the assailants and justice for the victim’s family.
Several BJP leaders including Bankipur MLA Nitin Navin joined the protest against the killing.
“Kumar was supposed to meet me today morning as we were to tour our constituency areas in view of the coming Assembly polls. I was waiting for him when news came that he has been shot dead around 6.30 AM near his house,” Navin said.
The MLA said if the police failed to arrest the culprits within 48 hours, his party would come out on roads to protest the deteriorating law and order situation in the city and the state.
BJP MLAs registered their protests in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council and created a ruckus leading to both the Houses being adjourned twice during the day.
Speaking in the Council, Leader of Opposition Sushil Kumar Modi demanded a statement from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the House on the incident and also sought immediate arrest of those involved, as well as, compensation for the victim’s family.
“We want the Chief Minister to come and make a statement as he is also the home minister of the State. The brazen murder is an indicator of the extent to which law and order situation has deteriorated in Patna and other parts of the state,” Sushil said.
As Council Chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh continued with the session, hurriedly taking up bills laid for passage, BJP MLCs trooped in the Well of the House and shouted slogans. The House was adjourned as soon as the bills were passed.
Outside the legislature, BJP members alleged its workers were being targeted under a conspiracy hatched in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections.
BJP leaders including Union Minister Ananth Kumar, Sushil Kumar Modi, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Nand Kishore Yadav, state party president Mangal Pandey and several legislators visited Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) where post mortem of Avinash Kumar was being conducted.
BJP Bihar in-charge Bhupendra Yadav said,”The administration is helpless in cracking the murder case. Criminals have gone beyond control during the Nitish regime. The CM is more worried about putting up his posters, instead of improving the law and order situation.”
“Checking the murder of our workers is of prime importance for free and fair Assembly elections,” Yadav added. (PTI)
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