Janta Dal United’ s Katihar district general secretary shot dead

Police sources said they are looking into the killing from all possible angles as it could be due to a business rivalry or political reasons.

JD (U)’s Katihar district general secretary Mohammad Khushdil was shot dead near his home in Rampur village in Katihar on Thursday, 370 kms northeast of Patna.

Khushdil was said to be involved in smuggling of illicit liquor in areas adjacent to the Bihar-Bengal border. (HT Photo)

Police said that besides being active in politics, Khushdil also owned a business at Baluganj Chowk and was allegedly involved in operating a racket of liquor smuggling in the eastern part of the district, which shares its border with West Bengal.

“He was returning home when a group of armed criminals stopped him and fired at him from a close range near Chandni Chowk, near his village in Rampur. He died on the spot,” police said.

Police rushed to the spot where Khushdil was gunned down, but faced the ire of a crowd of people who had gathered already. After nearly five hours, police managed to send the body to Katihar sadar hospital for autopsy.

“Police have started looking into the case and the culprits will be arrested very soon. Two people have been detained,” said Pankaj Kumar, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Barsoi.

Police sources said they are looking into the killing from all possible angles as it could be due to a business rivalry or political reasons. Khushdil was said to be involved in smuggling of illicit liquor in areas adjacent to the Bihar-Bengal border. Police also said that name of an elected member of panchayat has also come up and they were waiting for an FIR to be lodged.

“About a year ago the police had lodged an FIR against Khushdil for his alleged involvement in forcibly releasing a drunkard from police custody,” a police officer said.

Ever since sale and consumption of liquor was completely banned in Bihar from April 2016, Khushdil is said to have amassed huge wealth from liquor smuggling, in connivance with local police and leaders.

JD (U) leaders have remained tight-lipped over the incident. One of the leaders who did not wish to be identified said that the police were doing their job and the party is satisfied with the progress.