Madhubani killings: Kingpin arrested, top cop rules out caste angle

The police on Wednesday arrested five persons, including the main accused, in connection with the sensational killing of five members of a family, including a BSF officer, at Mahmudpur village in Madhibani district on March 29

The police on Wednesday arrested five persons, including the main accused, in connection with the sensational killing of five members of a family, including a BSF officer, at Mahmudpur village in Madhibani district on March 29.

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The main accused, Pravin Jha, runs a militia called Ravan Sena, mainly consisting of Brahmins.

According to Jitendra Kumar, additional director general (ADG), police headquarters, a police team led by Madhubani’s superintendent Dr Satya Prakash raided at a house at Raghauni village on Madhubani-Darbhanga border falling under Bisfi police station and arrested four named accused, identified as Pravin Jha alias Ravan, Chandan Jha, Mukesh Safi, Bhola Singh, and the house owner who gave them shelter.

On the day of Holi, more than 50 armed men opened fire at the family of one Ranvijay Singh, with whom they had a running dispute over fishing from a local pond. While Ranvijay Singh and his cousin brother Virendra Singh died on spot, three other family members, Rana Pratap Singh (assistant sub-inspector in BSF), Amrendra Singh (interstate cricketer) and Rudra Narayan Singh, succumbed to injuries a day later. Another injured person, Manoj Singh, is currently being treated at Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital.

Members of the victim family have demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and threatened to commit suicide before the chief minister’s residence if all named accused are not arrested within four days.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the pond is owned by one Sanjay Singh (brother of Ranvijay), but another group wanted to take it over.

On November 20, two separate cases were lodged by Sanjay and Mukesh Safi (close associate of Pravin Jha) against each other and Sanjay is currently lodged in a jail.

Ajitabh Kumar, inspector general of police (Darbhanga range), said the incident was a fallout of battle for supremacy between two groups, and not two castes.

“A case has been lodged against 35 people, including 18 Brahmins and 13 Rajputs, and dozens of unidentified accused. So far, 14 named accused have been arrested and sent to jail while one of the prominent accused, Navin Jha, is still absconding. The administration has attached his property,” said a police officer.