Bihar: CPM worker killed in Khagaria, two held

PATNA: A 60-year-old CPM activist, Radhe Singh, was shot dead by motorcycle-borne armed criminals in Khagaria district late on Wednesday evening. This is the second incident of murder of the left party worker in the district in the last two months.
Police said that the assailants intercepted Singh and fired at him from close range causing grievous injuries near Patraha village under Chautham police station area of the district.The incident took place around 6.30pm when Singh, a member of block committee of the organization, was returning home at Nirpur from Tilai Chowk on his bicycle.
Khagaria sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Alok Ranjan said on Thursday that the injured was rushed to the Sadar hospital at Khagaria where he succumbed to his injuries. He said a country-made pistol of .303 bore was used in the crime. A number of supporters of the deceased assembled at the sadar hospital after the news spread like wild fire in the region.
The station house officer (SHO) of Chautham police station Nilesh Kumar said that two accused persons—Ramchandra Singh and Saurabh Kumar---both stated to be father and son--have been arrested in connection with the incident. Altogether six people have been named as accused in the FIR lodged on the statement of the deceased’s son Ranjit Singh.
The SHO said that Singh’s murder was a fallout of a dispute over a plot of land. Singh was made accused in a case lodged under Arms Act about one and a half-months ago by Manoj Singh. A video of indiscriminate firing on the rival group had gone viral a few weeks ago, which led to lodging of police complaint against Singh.
On the other hand, district functionary of CPM Sanjay Singh said that the police failed to provide protection to the slain party worker despite threat to his life. Singh met the DSP Alok Ranjan in his office on Tuesday and submitted a petition apprehending attack on him and his family members, he revealed.
Earlier, Jagdish Chandra Basu, who had unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha election on ticket of CMP, was shot dead by some armed criminals near Lootna village under Alouli police station in the district on May 12. The killing of Basu had triggered protest by some local activists of the party.
Meanwhile, Awadhesh Kumar, state secretary of CPM, has demanded immediate arrest of the accused involved in the murder of Radhe Singh and compensation of Rs.20 lakh to the deceased’s family. He also expressed his concern over rise in incidents of crime during lockdown across the state.