Miscreants shot dead Ashok Jaiswal, a BJP leader and a prominent trader, in the busy marketplace in Danapur area of Bihar on Wednesday evening.
Soon after the murder around 6.30pm, BJP workers and Jaiswal’s supporters spilled on to the streets in large numbers, protesting against the murder. Tension prevailed among the business community in the area, and the BJP called a bandh.
Police said Jaiswal was present in a rice shop close to his house when four youth came looking for him. Two of them opened fire on the trader and fled the spot. Jaiswal, who received four bullet injuries, succumbed on way to a private hospital.
Trading community and BJP leaders have demanded that Jaiswal’s assailants be arrested within 24 hours.
The victim ran two shops and was actively involved in district politics of the BJP. “He had also contested the 2010 assembly elections form Danapur constituency as an independent,” a party senior confirmed.
An FIR has been registered against five persons. The BJP unit of Danapur has threatened to launch an agitation to protest the murder. Union minister Ram Kripal Yadav, BJP MLA Asha Sinha and senior party leader Harendra Pratap reached the spot and demand immediate arrest of the culprits.
Police said enmity with hardcore criminal Dinesh Singh, whose niece was said to have allegedly eloped with Jaiswal’s younger son, was suspected to be the reason behind the killing.
{{/usCountry}}Police said enmity with hardcore criminal Dinesh Singh, whose niece was said to have allegedly eloped with Jaiswal’s younger son, was suspected to be the reason behind the killing.
{{/usCountry}}Senior SP Manu Maharaaj said two men have been taken into custody for interrogation.