JD(U) MLA’s son arrested for murder bid

Ashish Mandal, son of Narendra Kumar Neeraj alias Gopal Mandal, the JD(U) MLA from Gopalpur in Bhagalpur district, was arrested from the office of her mother and Bhagalpur mayoral candidate Savita Devi, police said.

Son of a ruling Janata Dal (United) legislator in Bihar was arrested Tuesday in connection with the murderous attack on four people in Bhagalpur over a land dispute earlier this month, police said.

Bhagalpur SSP said the MLA’s son and his associates allegedly fired indiscriminately and injured four persons on December 12 over a land dispute. (Picture for representation)

Ashish Mandal, son of Narendra Kumar Neeraj alias Gopal Mandal, the JD(U) MLA from Gopalpur in Bhagalpur district, was arrested from the office of her mother and Bhagalpur mayoral candidate Savita Devi, police said.

Bhagalpur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Babu Ram said the MLA’s son and his associates allegedly fired indiscriminately and injured four persons on December 12 over a land dispute.

“Four persons were injured in the incident. Two of the bullets hit the head and neck of one Sharad alias Ravi Yadav, managing director of Takshila Schhol in Khagaria. He is undergoing treatment at a private hospital at Siliguri in West Bengal,” said a police officer familiar with the matter.

According to the FIR (first information report) filed by complainant Lal Bahadur Singh, more than 25 people led by Ashish Mandal reached his land in Barari area and tried to occupy it. “When we resisted, his musclemen beat us up with sticks and opened fire,” Singh has stated in the FIR, which names the MLA, his son and 20 unidentified people.

Singh has also alleged that the MLA threatened him on the phone and asked him to vacate the land.

On December 16, a Bhagalpur court had issued an arrest warrant against Ashish and three of his associates — Dilip Mandal, Dhanraj Yadav and Sanjiv.

“We are conducting raids to nab the other accused,” the SSP said.