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Why a Jan Suraaj supporter’s killing has tensed Bihar’s Mokama
Dular Chand was campaigning for his nephew and Jan Suraaj Party’s candidate Piyush Priyadarshi.
Heavy security was deployed in the Mokama Assembly constituency near the state capital in Bihar, a day after gangster-turned-politician Dular Chand Yadav was allegedly shot dead during an election campaign.
Yadav, once known for rubbing shoulders with the who’s who of politics in Bihar, was campaigning for his nephew and Jan Suraaj Party’s candidate Piyush Priyadarshi in the Mokama constituency.
The Mokama seat, which goes to voting in the first phase on November 6, is seeing a high-voltage contest as the Janata Dal (United) has fielded strongman Anant Singh, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal has nominated Veena Devi, wife of former MP and influential leader Surajbhan Singh.
According to the family, Dularchand was shot and then run over by a vehicle while campaigning in Basavanchak village.
The party's supporters have alleged that Priyadarshi’s convoy was following Anant Singh’s vehicle when Anant’s supporters suddenly attacked them with sticks and rods. Anant Singh has dominated Mokama's political landscape since 2005.
They claimed several windows of luxury vehicles were smashed, and when Dularchand stepped out to intervene, when he was attacked.
Hordes of angry supporters of Yadav, whose name struck terror in the wetlands of Mokama till a few decades ago, had gathered at the site of the incident after his death.
Anant Singh has denied any involvement in the incident and has instead blamed former MP Suraj Bhan Singh. “Our vehicles were also vandalised. This whole game is of Surajbhan. He had kept Dularchand with him. Dularchand used to stay with him,” Anant Singh said, as reported by HT.
Post-mortem amid tight security
On Friday, the body of Dular Chand Yadav was taken for postmortem in neighbouring Barh. A large number of police personnel were deployed along the route, according to ANI.
Heavy police presence was also seen at the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Barh, where the post-mortem of Dular Chand Yadav will take place, reported PTI.
Patna Range Inspector General (IG) Jitendra Rana had earlier said that police were camping in the area to prevent any retaliation or violence.
“The focus is on completing the postmortem at the earliest. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the victim had no firearm injury marks on the upper part of his body. We are also waiting for a complaint from the family,” he added.
Police has said the cause of death would be confirmed only after the postmortem examination.
