Bhim Army leader’s murder sparks violent protest in Bihar’s Vaishali

Angry over their leader’s murder, Bhim Army supporters vandalised a police van and set many shops on fire in Lalganj, Vaishali, Bihar.

Patna | Updated: 14 April, 2023 5:24 pm IST

Locals vandalised a police van after the killing of Bhim Army leader Rakesh Paswan in Vaishali, Bihar on Friday.

A leader of Dalit outfit Bhim Army was shot dead by masked bike-borne assailants outside his residence in Bihar’s Vaishali on Friday morning, promoting violent protests in the district which borders capital Patna.

Rakesh Paswan, district president of Bhim Army, was fired upon by two gunmen in Pachdhamiyah locality of Lalganj area hours before he was set to address a Dalit rally on the occasion of Dr BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary.

The attackers are said to be associated with the National Lok Jan Shakti Party’s Dalit Sena led by Suresh Ram.

Paswan’s relatives and villagers rushed him to a private nursing home in Lalganj, where doctors referred him to the district hospital in Hajipur, stating that his condition was critical. He was declared dead at the hospital.

As the news of his death spread in the area, hundreds of people gathered at his home and started sloganeering against the government. Soon, violent protests erupted and angry protesters set several shops on fire in Lalganj.

Paswan was the youngest among his four brothers and had two sons and one daughter, with one of his sons not yet married.

Supporters of Bhim Army and Paswan were planning a grand procession in Lalganj to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar – the architect of the Indian Constitution.

The police are currently camping at Paswan’s house to prevent any further untoward incident. The daylight murder has created a tense atmosphere in Lalganj.

The police have not yet made any statement regarding the incident, but dozens of shells have been recovered from the crime scene.

Bihar has witnessed an uptick in crimes in the recent past with murders, dacoity, loot, and shootings becoming a normal affair.

In a similar incident, assailants shot dead two security guards posted at a state-owned bank’s branch in Saran district and looted ₹13.28 lakh on Thursday.

Meanwhile, LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has suggested chief minister Nitish Kumar to take a cue from UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s rulebook. “He should learn something from the UP CM. He is punishing/killing criminals,” he said.