Thousands join Ranvir Sena chief's funeral
Thousands Saturday joined the funeral procession of Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh 'Mukhiya', whose killing in Bihar a day earlier sparked widespread violence.
Singh, in his 70s, was killed Friday morning in Ara town in Bhojpur district, triggering violence by supporters of Ranvir Sena, an outlawed upper caste vigilante group.
The procession began from Ara, about 60 km from here.
”Thousands more are waiting at different places to join his funeral," a police official monitoring the procession told IANS.
Hundreds of vehicles formed part of the three-kilometre long convey. The slain man will be cremated at Banshghat in Patna.
As they walked, Singh’s supporters shouted slogans against the Bihar government and demanded death to the killers.
Another police officer said that his supporters were pouring into Patna from Gaya, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Arwal, Bhojpur and Patna districts.
Elaborate security has been made in Patna to ensure peace, police said.
Deputy Inspector General Sunil Kumar said the Rapid Action Force, the Central Reserve Police Force and the Bihar Military Police Force have been deployed along the funeral route.
After Singh was killed Friday, his supporters attacked police vehicles and government offices in Ara.
The circuit house in the town was set on fire and nearly a dozen other vehicles, including a bus, were torched.
