Begusarai shooting spree: CM Nitish Kumar hints BJP's involvement

As Begusarai observed a total bandh on the call given by the BJP in protest against the random shooting spree in the town that took place on Tuesday evening. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday alleged the involvement of the BJP in the said incident.

Without mentioning the name of the party, the CM said, "It appears the firings took place in the areas dominated by the Muslims and OBCs. It was selective too. Matlab Saaf hai (intention is clear)."

Nitish said that the firings took place in the areas which are dominated by the OBCs and Muslims only. " I have directed the DGP to probe all angles of the crime," Nitish added. 

Meanwhile, Additional DGP J S Gangwar on Wednesday said that the Begusarai police have detained five people in connection with the incident.

Obviously, there was a lapse on the part of the police patrolling parties on NH 31 and 28 where shootouts took place following which the state has suspended seven policemen for their lapses. Whereas, the Begusarai police has announced Rs 50,000 rewards for giving information about the goons involved in the crime.

This was the first incident of its kind in Bihar. The shooting spree took place on the highway from Samastipur to Simariya on the Patna district border by the bike-borne miscreants in which at least one person while 11 others were injured. Those hit by the bullets included an ice cream vendor, a fish salesman and pedestrians returning from nearby factories.

Meanwhile, the BJP on Wednesday observed a total bandh in the town. Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who represents Begusarai in Lok Sabha joined the funeral procession of 30-year-old Chandan Singh who succumbed to bullet injuries. He also sat on dharna in the Begusarai district headquarters.

Senior party leaders, including Sushil Kumar Modi, and Shahnawaj Hussain, along with the leader of the opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha also participated in the dharna and alleged collapse of law and order. They alleged the involvement of RJD workers in the shootouts and claimed the firings were well planned to terrorise the locals.