Mukhiya shot dead in Bihar dist; over 50 of them killed in 10 years – Times of India
NAWADA: Pappu Manjhi, 45, the mukhiya of Budhauli panchayat, was allegedly shot dead in Nawada district in Bihar on Thursday night. His body was found near the boundary wall of a college at Budhauli village on Friday morning. He was elected mukhiya for a second term.
Police said Manjhi received a phone call around 10pm on Thursday night and left home while still on the phone.He did not return home that night. On Friday morning, family members came to know that he had been shot and his body was lying on the college premises.
“We have started an investigation and are trying to ascertain the identity of the last caller for leads. The deceased has no criminal history. It may be an act of political rivalry. The actual motive behind the murder will be revealed after the investigation and on the basis of the autopsy report. The statement of his family is yet to be recorded,” Mahesh Chaudhary, DSP of Pakribarawan, said.
Last year, Bihar saw a series of killings of mukhiyas. Police sources say over 50 mukhiyas have been killed in the state in the last one decade. A majority of these killings have been attributed to political rivalry. Birendra Kumar Sharma, the mukhiya of Parna panchayat in Begusarai district, was shot dead by four assailants on February 2. The arrest of three suspects two days later pointed to a revenge plot allegedly hatched by one Mehfooz Ansari, a former mukhiya of the same panchayat. Md Quareshi, the mukhiya of Phulguni panchayat in Gopalganj district, was shot dead by two gunmen on February 9.
Police said Manjhi received a phone call around 10pm on Thursday night and left home while still on the phone.He did not return home that night. On Friday morning, family members came to know that he had been shot and his body was lying on the college premises.
“We have started an investigation and are trying to ascertain the identity of the last caller for leads. The deceased has no criminal history. It may be an act of political rivalry. The actual motive behind the murder will be revealed after the investigation and on the basis of the autopsy report. The statement of his family is yet to be recorded,” Mahesh Chaudhary, DSP of Pakribarawan, said.
Last year, Bihar saw a series of killings of mukhiyas. Police sources say over 50 mukhiyas have been killed in the state in the last one decade. A majority of these killings have been attributed to political rivalry. Birendra Kumar Sharma, the mukhiya of Parna panchayat in Begusarai district, was shot dead by four assailants on February 2. The arrest of three suspects two days later pointed to a revenge plot allegedly hatched by one Mehfooz Ansari, a former mukhiya of the same panchayat. Md Quareshi, the mukhiya of Phulguni panchayat in Gopalganj district, was shot dead by two gunmen on February 9.
