JD(U) activist shot dead in Begusarai

The deceased was identified as Nilesh Kumar Mahto, 37. He was very active during recent assembly polls in the state.

A Janata Dal (United) activist was on Tuesday night gunned down by unknown assailants outside his house in Pirnagar village under Chhourahi police station limits of Begusarai district, police said. The deceased was identified as Nilesh Kumar Mahto, 37.

JD(U) activist shot dead in Begusarai

The incident came to light when family members heard gunshot sounds, arrived at the spot and found Mahto’s blood-soaked body lying on the ground. He received bullet injuries to his chest, neck and near his eyes. The family immediately informed the police, who took the body into custody. Police officers familiar with the matter, quoting the family members of the deceased, suggested that the murder might be linked to an old personal enmity.

A suspect has been detained and is being questioned. The body has been sent to Sadar Hospital for a postmortem, and a forensic team collected evidence from the spot. Manjhaul SDPO inspected the crime scene and assured the villagers that the culprits would be nabbed soon.

“Nilesh Kumar, who was the former block president of JD(U) and was recently elected as the panchayat head. Nilesh was sleeping in his house at night when criminals entered, murdered him and fled,” said Begusarai SP Maneesh.

Deceased’s father Rambali Mahto said that his son was very active during the recent assembly elections, but he did not have any enmity with anyone in recent times. Previously, there was a land dispute with some people in the village, but that matter had been resolved. He, however, claimed that Brajesh Kumar, Jaiprakash Mahto, Rajesh and Ram Pravesh and other men from the neighbouring village fled from the spot with brandishing weapons at midnight and they could be suspects for his son’s murder.