Triple murder in Gopalganj: Dist board chief, father arrested

Patna: The chairman of Gopalganj district board, Mukesh Pandey, and his don-turned-politician father Satish Pandey were arrested on Monday for their alleged involvement in a firing incident on Sunday evening in which RJD activist JP Yadav’s parents and brother were killed while Yadav himself was injured.
The house of Kuchaikote JD (U) MLA Amrendra Kumar Pandey alias Pappu Pandey was also raided by the police in connection with the incident, but he could not be arrested.The lawmaker is among three accused named in the FIR lodged at the Hathua police station on the statement of the injured RJD man.
The incident took place around 7.15 pm on Sunday when Yadav along with his father, mother and elder brother were outside their house at Rupanchak village under Hathua police station. Five assailants arrived on two motorbikes and fired at Yadav, who escaped with bullet injuries in his hands. They then fired at his father Mahesh Choudhary (65), mother Sankesia Devi (60) and elder brother Shantanu Kumar (40).
The two senior citizens were killed at the spot while Shantanu succumbed on Monday morning. Yadav has now been shifted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital.
“Mukesh Pandey, district board chairperson and his father Satish Pandey have been arrested,” DIG (Saran range) Vijay Kumar Verma said, adding, three people, including the legislator and district board chairperson, have been made named accused in the case and efforts are on to ascertain the identity of other accused. He confirmed that raids were carried out to arrest the MLA but he was not found at his village Tulsia.
Earlier, Gopalganj SP Manoj Kumar Tiwari had that said an SIT has been formed to crack the high profile triple murder at the earliest. “The investigation is proceeding in the right direction and action will be initiated against the accused on the basis of scientific evidence,” the SP added.
In his statement, Yadav, who recently switched over to RJD from CPI-ML (Liberation), alleged that the district board chairperson along with his four associates fired at him from close range. “I fled from the site despite getting injured,” he told investigators.
Yadav cited political reasons behind the attack. “I had declared to contest election for the post of the district board chairperson, which enraged the ruling party MLA and his family members,” he said in his statement before the police.
Gopalganj RJD district president Rajesh Singh Kushwaha claimed that Yadav had joined the party over a year ago and was taking part in the programmes of the party on a regular basis.
Earlier, leader of opposition in the state assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav took a potshot at the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, demanding action against the JD(U) MLA for allegedly being involved in the firing.
“The leader of opposition must be aware that there is rule of law in Bihar and nobody involved in the unlawful activities will be spared. The law will take its own course even in the case of Gopalganj incident,” JD (U) leader and state information and public relations department minister Niraj Kumar said.