PATNA: Baidyanath Mahto, husband of ward councillor Khushdil Devi of ward number 13, was killed during a morning walk in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district on Saturday. The incident took place around 6 am.
Criminals opened fire at him from close range, causing severe injuries to his head and other parts of his body.
Irked over the incident, a mob attacked police teams and pelted them with stones. Two inspectors, along with two other police personnel, suffered severe injuries in stone pelting by the mob.
Several vehicles, including those of the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, were attacked and pelted with stones during the protest.
Mahto, a native of Ketharia Rampur Patti village under Dumra police limits, died on the spot.
The assailants, however, managed to escape. A group of residents attacked the house of one of the suspects, Ezaz and set it on fire.
Ezaz, however, managed to escape from there.
Mahto’s wife Dilkhush Devi is the councillor of Ward Number 13. The deceased’s relatives alleged that the local police’s callousness led to the murder of Mahto, who had lodged a complaint against the accused after a firing incident a few days ago.
An FIR has been lodged against three suspects, including Ezaz and Tribhuwan, who are absconding. Mahto’s body bore eight bullet marks, which indicated that the motive of the criminals was to kill him.
Meanwhile, SP Amit Ranjan ordered the suspension of SHO, Dumra, Mukesh Kuma, for dereliction of duty.
Sources said that the deceased had informed the SHO about the firing at his residence on August 28, but no action was taken against the accused.
A BJP mandal president (in-charge of multiple districts), Uma Bhushan Tanti, was shot dead by two-motorcycle-borne criminals in Bhagalpur on Friday. A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to arrest the accused.