BJP leader Azfar Shamsi in Bihar shot at, one arrested

A BJP leader in Bihar was on Wednesday shot at by unidentified assailants here, triggering a spat between the ruling party and the opposition over alleged deterioration in the law and order situation.

Azfar Shamsi, a spokesman of the state BJP who also taught at the Jamalpur College in the district, was shot at by motorcycle-borne attackers while his car was entering the premises of the institute, Superintendent of Police, Munger, Manavjeet Singh Dhillon, said.

The assailants sped away after firing several rounds and Shamsi was left profusely bleeding, with bullet injuries in a leg and close to one of his ears, the SP said.

In his statement, Shamsi alleged that he suspected the involvement of one of his colleagues at the college, who has been arrested, the SP said, adding that the academician-cum- politician was later referred to a Patna hospital for further treatment.

Meanwhile, RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari reacted with alarm and remarked "we wonder who is safe in Bihar under the Nitish Kumar regime when even a leader of the BJP, the senior partner in the ruling alliance, is attacked in broad daylight".

BJP national spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain, however, dismissed the opposition charge and asserted that "the police have acted swiftly. I have spoken to the SP concerned and the man whom Shamsi had suspected has been arrested. The opposition has this habit of making noise over every development".

When asked whether he still believed that "sushasan" (good governance) prevailed in Bihar, Hussain, who got elected to the state legislative council last week, retorted "why not?".