Bihar: Elusive JD(U) MLA's kin murdered in Gopalganj

PATNA: Tension has gripped Gopalganj following the daylight murder of a 50-year-old man, Shashikant Tiwari alias Munna Tiwari, stated to be a close relative of JD(U) MLA from Kuchaikote, Amrendra Kumar Pandey alias Pappu Pandey, on Tuesday afternoon.
Tiwari, an affluent farmer, was shot dead by unidentified armed criminals when he was talking to a relative under a mango tree near his house at Repura village under Hathua police station around 12.30 pm.Tiwari died on the spot while the assailants drove away on their motorbikes.
Gopalganj superintendent of police Manoj Kumar Tiwari said that the body of the deceased was sent to the sadar hospital at Gopalganj for autopsy. “The identity of the assailants has already been ascertained and raids were on to nab them at the earliest,” he said.
The SP said that those involved in the crime won’t be spared whosoever they may be. “Instructions have been issued to the station house officer concerned to crack the case at the earliest. Additional armed forces have been deployed at Repura village as a precautionary measure,” the SP added.
The SP, however, described the situation as tense but under control. Gopalganj district magistrate Arshad Aziz said that he was personally monitoring the situation in the wake of spate of murders in the district in the last couple of days.
Earlier, the deceased’s brother Nishikant Tiwari told the police that Manu Tiwari of Nayagaon Tulsiya village, Parmeshar Yadav and Munna Yadav, both stated to be residents of Harkhauli village, were involved in the killing of Munna Tiwari. A relative was sitting beside Munna when the assailants fired at him, he added.
Nishikant revealed that the shooters chased Munna and pumped four bullets into his body when he tried to escape from the site of occurrence. The killers, who were stated to be five in number, escaped towards Siwan on their motorbikes after committing the crime, he added.
Munna’s murder took place barely 48 hours after the killing of three people at Rupanchak village under Hathua police station in the district. The JD (U) MLA, his elder brother Satish Pandey and his son Mukesh Pandey have been made named accused in the triple murder case.
While don-turned politician Satish Pandey and his son Mukesh Pandey, the chairman of Gopalganj district board, were arrested from their native village Nayagaon Tulasiya, the lawmaker was evading his arrrest in the case. The FIR was lodged against the MLA and his family members on the statement of JP Yadav, who survived the attack on May 25.
Yadav, who recently joined the RJD, is recuperating at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH). Leader of opposiiton Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Tuesday paid a visit to the ward of the PMCH in which J P Yadav is admitted for treatment.
Assailing the state government for its failure to check the incidents of crime, the state leader of opposition Tejashwi gave an ultimatum of three days to arrest the JD(U) legislator in the triple murder case. “If the MLA is not arrested within three days, then I will visit Gopalganj to take stock of the situation,” Tejashwi said.
Tejashwi alleged that five members of a family were killed in Gopalganj last year at the behest of the ruling party MLA. In addition, a complaint related to extortion of Rs.50 lakh from a construction company was lodged against the lawmaker. “But I fail to fathom why the CM is shielding such a man facing criminal charges of all hues,” the opposition party leader said.
Meanwhile, former union minister and RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha also demanded action against the killers of three members of a family in Gopalganj district on May 25. “It seems that the law and order is not on the priority list of the state government,” he alleged.
On the other hand, the MLA alleged that he and his family members were being implicated in the triple murder case. "I was present in my house when the incident took place. This can be verified from the CCTV installed at my residence. Moreover, I have faith that I will come clean in the probe," he said.