In yet another shocking incident, Surendra Kewat, a local BJP leader, was shot dead late Saturday night in the Punpun block of the Patna district. He was the former president of the BJP Kisan Morcha in the Punpun block.
According to reports, two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on Kewat. Hit by four bullets, he was rushed to AIIMS Patna by locals but succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
Masaurhi SDPO Kanhaiya Kumar said, “Initial investigations revealed that Surendra Kewat was irrigating his field when he was shot. People nearby heard the sound of gunfire, but no one saw anyone fleeing the scene.”
The police have registered a case against unidentified assailants and are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the area near the crime scene. Authorities hope the footage will help identify the culprits.
This incident came close on the heels of the killing of another BJP leader and prominent businessman Gopal Khemka in the state capital. The murder was followed by the killing of another businessman, Vikram Jha, and yet another of a sand dealer, Ramakant Yadav. These four murders took place at short intervals in the Patna district.
The back-to-back murders have once again raised serious questions about the law-and-order situation in the state evoking sharp criticism from the Opposition along with NDA partners.
In a veiled attack on the Bihar government, Union Minister Chirag Paswan made a cryptic comment on ‘X’: “How many more murders will Biharis face now? It is beyond understanding what the responsibility of the Bihar Police is.”
RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav slammed the administration for its failure to contain violence. In a message on ‘X’, he asked: “And now, a BJP leader has been shot dead in Patna! Who should we speak to? Who will listen? In this NDA government, is there anyone willing to hear the truth – anyone ready to accept their mistakes?”
He further asked: “Everyone knows about the chief minister’s health, but what are the two useless deputy chief ministers from the BJP doing?”
In another post, he wrote: “There are so many murders happening that no one can even keep a count. In Bihar, human life has become cheaper than that of insects. A businessman was shot dead in Sitamarhi. A shopkeeper was murdered in Patna. A nurse was shot dead in Nalanda. A youth was gunned down in Khagaria. Two murders in Gaya and Nalanda!”