A 50-year-old JD-U leader was shot and killed in Bihar’s Madhepura district on Friday morning as he stood outside his apartment in Bihariganj market.

Hundreds of JD-U and BJP supporters blocked streets, chanting anti-local police slogans, and vendors closed stores in protest.

The late leader has been identified as Pradeep Sah. He is the general secretary (extremely backward class group) and was very active in the recently concluded Panchayat elections.

Madhepura Police Commissioner (SP) Rajesh Kumar rushed to the scene, appealing to his supporters for peace and for their cooperation in finding the culprits. “Based on initial clues received by the website, police have started raiding various locations and the criminals will be caught soon.”

“Three offenders on motorcycles shot him in the head at close range before fleeing the scene,” police said, adding that “he died while being taken to hospital.”

Asked about the motive behind the murder, police said: “So far, no family member has lodged a complaint, but we are investigating the matter from a possible angle.”

Locals, including several JD-U and BJP leaders, have blamed the police and called for action against the misguided police. “Even if we cooperate with JD-U, we cannot see that law and order is so low,” they claim. The blockade on the Bihariganj-Madhepura road remains in place and police are trying to disperse the crowd.

In a similar incident in 2020, JD-U leader Ashok Yadav was standing near a shop in Madhepura’s Jogbani village when he was shot dead.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times