Following the fatal shooting of prominent businessman Gopal Khemka outside his Patna residence, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday condemned the incident, stating it once again highlights how the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have together turned Bihar into the "crime capital of India."
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gandhi wrote in Hindi, “The murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna has once again proven that the BJP and Nitish Kumar have turned Bihar into the crime capital of India.”
He accused the ruling alliance of having completely failed in maintaining law and order in the state.
“Today, Bihar lives in the shadow of loot, gunfire, and murder. Crime has become the new normal here, and the government is nowhere to be seen,” Gandhi said.
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also urged the people of Bihar to stand up against the “injustice” and vote not just for a new government, but to “save the future” of the state.
“Every murder, every act of loot, every gunshot is a cry for change. This time, the vote is not just to change the government, it is to save Bihar,” he added.
Khemka was shot dead outside his residence in Patna by a bike-borne assailant, seven years after miscreants had gunned down his son in Hajipur.
The incident took place around 11. 40 pm on Friday near the gate of Khemka's house in Gandhi Maidan locality as he was about to alight from his car.
An SIT, comprising officials of the Special Task Force and sleuths of the central district police, has been constituted to supervise the ongoing investigation into the businessman's murder, the DGP has said.
The incident comes just months ahead of the assembly polls, which are likely to take place around October-November.
(With inputs from PTI )