Siwan MP’s aide shot, no arrest yet

PATNA: Srikant Bhartiya, an aide of BJP’s Siwan MP Om Prakash Yadav, was shot in Siwan by two unknown bike-borne assailants on Sunday night when he was returning home on his motorcycle after attending a marriage reception at a premier hotel under Siwan Town police station. No arrests have been made till the time of going to press.
The murder triggered violent protests across the town on Monday by Bhartiya’s supporters, who blocked roads and burned tyres. They also raised slogans against the state government. Tension prevailed in the area but the situation was brought under control by 3pm by ensuring deployment of around 300 cops from nearby police stations.
MP Om Prakash Yadav said he personally met home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and submitted a memorandum regarding the killings of three of his supporters, including Bhartiya, and demanded a CBI inquiry into these murders. He demanded that the state government give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Bhartiya’s kin.
Siwan SP Vikas Burman told TOI on telephone on Monday that the protesting crowd was more or less peaceful and cooperated with the police.
He said the protesters demanded quick breakthrough in the case. Elaborating on the incident, the SP said that bike-borne assailants overtook the deceased’s motorcycle and opened fire at him. Bhartiya was declared brought dead by doctors at the Sadar Hospital, Siwan. Police will take up this case on a priority basis, he said.
Asked if personal enmity was behind the murder, Burman said it would be too early to talk about the issue as the aggrieved family was busy with cremation rituals and the FIR in connection with the murder was yet to be registered.
Bhartiya, a resident of Kasera Toli, was eldest among five siblings. His wife Sunita Devi is the councillor of ward number 22 in Siwan. Sources said his daughter’s marriage is scheduled for December 1.
It may be recalled here that in August last, Kundan Kumar Soni, a jeweller, was killed at Eidgah under Siwan Town police station. Newly-married Rajiv Roshan, who was to appear as an eyewitness in the fast-track court at Patna on June 19 to depose against former MP Shahabuddin in a case related to kidnapping and murder of his two elder brothers — Girish and Satish — in August 2004, was also shot dead in June last.
Chandra Babu, the deceased’s father and local businessman, in his FIR, had named Osama Shahab as the main accused, besides accusing Osama’s father Shahabuddin of hatching conspiracy from the jail. No arrests have been made in either of these cases, the Siwan MP said.