Bihar BJP vice-president killed, another shot dead

The vice-president of Bihar BJP and bahubali (strongman) of Bhojpur was killed on Friday, while a local party leader of Saran district was shot dead in Chhapra. Earlier, an LJP leader Brijnathi Singh was shot dead in Patna. The BJP has given 72-hour ultimatum to the Nitish Kumar government to arrest the criminals.

BJP vice-president Visheshwar Ojha was killed on Friday evening in an area under Shahpur police station of Bhojpur district when he was returning from a marriage. Mr. Ojha, said to be a close associate of senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, had contested the last Assembly poll from the Shahpur Assembly constituency unsuccessfully against RJD nominee Rahul Kumar alias Mantu Tiwari.

On Friday morning, the bullet-riddled body of Kedar Singh, another BJP leader from Saran district, was found in Chhapra. A week ago, an LJP leader from Raghopur of Vaishali district Brijnathi Singh too was sprayed with bullets in broad daylight in Patna.

The BJP leaders have given 72 hours to the government to arrest the killers of Mr. Ojha failing which “a State-wide protest will take place.” “NDA leaders are being killed … it’s a jungle raj in the state,” said State BJP president Mangal Pandey.

Leaders from all political parties have condemned the killing of Mr. Ojha.

PTI adds: Angry supporters of the slain BJP leader heckled Bhojpur SP Navin Chand Jha when he visited the hospital where Ojha died.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is “holding meeting for controlling crime but the fact is criminals have gone out of control”, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said in a statement in Patna.

The three-day high level meeting held by Mr. Kumar to tone up law and order situation ended in Patna on Friday.