Police in a fix over a murder and two claimants

Four days after an employee of a BJP MLC was gunned down, the police are puzzled as two persons have separately claimed responsibility for the “accidental firing” which claimed the life of Dheeraj, working as a munshi (caretaker) at the legislator’s petrol pump in Bihar’s Katihar district.

Already groping in the dark ever since Dheeraj was allegedly killed by the carbine of bodyguard of MLC Ashok Kumar Agarwal on July 17, the “two claimants for one murder” has further baffled the Bihar police.

Soon after the killing, Agarwal’s security-man Brahmdeo Yadav claimed that the firearm went off accidentally while he was cleaning it and a stray bullet hit Dheeraj. Yadav was detained by the Katihar police and his firearm seized.

However, the case turned mysterious on July 19 when Yadav suddenly “disappeared” from the scene. A day later, the tale took another twist when Shashi Kant, another bodyguard of the MLC, claimed that it was actually his carbine which accidentally went off leading to Dheeraj’s death.

Shashi Kant’s version has bemused the police, who have so far failed to make any breakthrough despite Bihar DGP Abhayanand’s assurance to the victim’s family that “justice would be done at the earliest.”  

Dheeraj’s brother, Neeraj, however said he was an eyewitness to the killing.
“When I went to drop my brother at Agarwal’s house, there was heated exchange between the MLC and Dheeraj as the latter refused to go to Araria to supervise the road construction work being carried out by the legislator’s firm.

Eventually, the MLC snatched the weapon of his security guard and fired at Dheeraj,” said Neeraj, explaining why he had named the MLC as an accused in the FIR.

The victim’s brother said that since Agarwal was a ruling party legislator, the district police were reluctant to initiate any action against the MLA, who is already facing charges of kidnapping, murder and extortion, and is one of the prime accused (case no 1341/2011 and 1372/2011) in the infamous Forbesganj firing last year.

DIG, Purnea range, B S Meena said that instructions had been issued to the police “to take action as per prescribed rules and also investigate the role of the MLC.”