PATNA: A 40-year-old BJP leader died allegedly after sustaining injuries on his head when police on Thursday resorted to lathicharge at Dakbunglow roundabout in the state capital to foil a march to the assembly by party leaders and workers. The march was organised in support of teacher job aspirants’ demands.
Angered over the death of Vijay Kumar Singh, Jehanabad district general secretary of the party, state BJP chief Samrat Choudhary said his party would file a murder case against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the death of the party functionary.
“We will continue our agitation against the state government. We have given a call for Vidhan Sabha march on Friday to protest the police lathicharge in which one of our leaders lost his life,” said Choudhary, while criticising the grand alliance government for police atrocities and highhandedness.
On the other hand, Patna’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajiv Mishra said Singh was found in an unconscious state in Chhajubagh locality. He was rushed to the Patna Medical College Hospital for treatment. The police officer said no external injury was found on the body of the BJP leader. CCTV cameras were being verified to ascertain the veracity.
Patna Medical College and Hospital superintendent Dr I S Thakur said Singh was alive when he was brought to the hospital and was admitted to ICU. Soon after, he was put on a ventilator. The doctor said that no external injury was found on him and the exact reason behind his death would be known only after the post-mortem. “We have informed the family about the incident,” he added.
Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha said BJP leaders and workers would march to Raj Bhawan on Friday in protest against the death of the party leader. Earlier, former deputy chief minister and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi tweeted, confirming the death of the party functionary in the police lathicharge. The police restored to lathicharge, used water cannons and lobbed tear gas shells at BJP leaders and workers at Dakbunglow road.