Gangster-turned-politician killed near Patna, supporters blame JD(U) adversary

Patna, Oct 30 (PTI) Gangster-turned-politician Dular Chand Yadav, once known for rubbing shoulders with the who's who of politics in Bihar, was allegedly shot dead near the state capital during an election campaign on Thursday, police said.

The incident took place in Mokama, which falls in Patna district but is situated 100 kms from the city, where Yadav, who had of late aligned with the local candidate of Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party, was said to have been involved in a clash with political rivals.

According to Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikeya K Sharma, "We received information that a supporter of a candidate died during the campaign in the Mokama Taal area. The exact cause of the incident is not known yet, as the body has not been handed over to the police." Yadav died while he was campaigning for Jan Suraaj Party's candidate Piyush Priyadarshi, another officer said.

"Allegations are being levelled that the deceased was shot dead by supporters of his opponent's party. Whether he succumbed to bullet injuries or it was an accidental death can only be known when the police get the body," the SSP said, adding that the matter will be investigated from all angles.

According to a statement issued by the Patna district administration, "the body of Dular Chand Yadav, who has been named in a number of criminal cases, will be sent for post-mortem examinations to ascertain the cause of the death. A search is on to nab those who may be involved in the killing".

Hordes of angry supporters of Yadav, whose name struck terror in the wetlands of Mokama till a few decades ago, had gathered at the site of the incident, alleging that the killers owed allegiance to Anant Singh, another dreaded gangster and former MLA, who is contesting the seat on a JD(U) ticket.

Asked about the incident by journalists, party founder Prashant Kishor said, "A team of our party has gone to the spot. As soon as we get some details, we will tell you".

Party's national president Uday Singh told reporters, "Our candidate in Mokama is a nephew of late Dular Chand Yadav. When a cavalcade of our candidate was attacked by supporters of Anant Singh, Yadav, who is himself a well-known political leader of the area, tried to intervene, but was shot dead." He also alleged that he attackers crushed Yadav under the wheels of their car.

"The police are trying to hush up the case. Any such attempt will provoke our cadres across the state," he claimed.

Jan Suraj Party's state president Manoj Bharti, in a statement, alleged that the incident took place at the behest of those who seek votes by instilling fear of ‘jungle raj’.

"This is an assault on our democratic rights. We strongly condemn the attack on the convoy of our Mokama assembly poll candidate Priyadarshi Piyush and the killing of one of his supporters," he said.

Bharti also said every candidate has the right to carry out a public outreach programme.

"Attacking them during poll campaigns, firing bullets to show dominance, and running a vehicle over a supporter to kill them are heinous crimes," the Jan Suraaj Party leader said.

Party’s state media in-charge Obaidur Rahman said that according to an eyewitness, the incident took place around 4 pm.

Anant Singh, who was approached with questions by journalists, said, "I was far away from the spot where Dular Chand Yadav brawled with my supporters. I do not know what exactly happened, but some of my people have complained that Yadav's henchmen have vandalised their vehicles." When the several-term ex-MLA was told that Yadav had been killed, he sought to pin the blame on the husband of his RJD rival Veena Devi.

"It must be the handiwork of Suraj Bhan. He orchestrated the killing so that I get a bad name", said Singh.

Yadav, whose muscle power could never help him win an election, was known to be on good terms with RJD president Lalu Prasad and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president.

After spending some time in political wilderness, he was again seen in public during the ongoing elections, when he canvassed in favour of Jan Suraaj nominee Piyush Priyadarshi, a less fancied candidate in Mokama.

The killing has stoked fears of electoral violence, on caste lines, in a state which has been witness to a lot of bloodshed of this type.

However, the SSP said a large number of security personnel have been deployed in the area and appropriate action will be taken after due investigation.

INDIA bloc chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav, whose RJD is often accused of "jungle raj" while in power, reacted to the development, saying, "gun-toting musclemen are roaming freely in Bihar. It is a serious question mark on law and order in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should stop talking about things that happened 20 years ago and tell us what type of rule has the NDA brought". PTI PKD NAC BDC