PATNA: Criminals fired at the house of a leader of Bihar’s main Opposition RJD who is close to jailed former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin in the eastern Siwan district on Saturday. The incident prompted RJD to renew its attacks on the government on the law and order issue.
Police said two bike-born criminals fired several shots at the house of Rajesh Yadav at Lakshmipur and sparked fear in the neighbourhood before fleeing. Two live cartridges were recovered from the front yard of Yadav’s house.
“A probe is on to ascertain the motive behind this incident and identify the men who fired the shots,” said Siwan SP Navin Chandra Jha, declining to elaborate.
Local residents told police that the assailants did not appear to have come with the intention of killing anyone and that they aimed at spreading fear.
During the incident, Rajesh Yadav was present in the first floor of his house. Sources said the assailants briefly spoke with Yadav’s brother, who was near the doorway, before they started firing indiscriminately. Frightened by the sound of the firing, families in the area huddled in their houses.
Police sources said it is possible the firing was done by people having rivalries with Shahabuddin, a four-term RJD MP from Siwan who is currently lodged in Tihar jail in New Delhi. He was sentenced to life in a double murder case of 2004 and faces trial in several other criminal cases.
“Such incidents make it clear that law and order has collapsed in Bihar due to the NDA government’s disinterest in people’s safety. We demand a thorough probe into the firing incident in Siwan,” said senior RJD leader and MLA Bhai Birendra.