Patna, Sept. 2: Alleged threat calls to Ariari block development officer (BDO) Balram Singh have sent senior police officers into a tizzy. Singh’s two predecessors, too, had received similar threat calls and they were killed.
Singh received the first call on August 25, 2011. The caller, who introduced himself as Ashok Mahto, asked the officer to pay a fixed amount to him every month.
Initially, the BDO ignored the call but he got serious when he received the second call on August 29.
“The same demand was made from me. The caller disclosed his identity as Ashok Mahto,” he told the station house officer (SHO) of Ariari, police station, S.K. Mandal.
The SHO launched an investigation after the formal complaint was registered.
Sources said Mahto, a dreaded gangster of Sheikhpura-Nawada region, is currently lodged in Nawada jail. He is facing charges of murder, kidnapping and extortion. His relative and former MLA Pradip Mahto was charged with facilitating Mahto to escape from Nawada jail in 2001.
Sheikhpura superintendent of police (SP) Kuer Singh said the security of the BDO has been beefed up in the wake of the threat call. “Besides, a personal bodyguard, six other policemen have been drafted for his security,” he told The Telegraph over phone.
The SP said efforts were on to trace the caller. “It is being ascertained on whose name and address the SIM, which was used for making the calls, had been issued,” he said, adding that all precautionary measures are being taken up at his level.
The threat calls to the BDO assumes significance in the wake of the murder of Singh’s two predecessors. Authoritative sources said Ashok Rajvatsya was shot dead by armed criminals when he was on way to office at Ariari from the district headquarters in 2004. He too was threatened with dire consequences for his refusal to pay extortion money to Mahto’s men.
The court acquitted the accused in the case in the absence of evidence. Mahto’s close associates were made the accused in the case. Sources said the witnesses turned hostile during the trial, paving the way for the acquittal of the accused.
Similarly in 2008, then Ariari BDO Arvind Kumar Mishra was murdered at his house located at Rajopuram in Sheikhpura town.
Two persons visited Mishra’s rented house in the evening and shot him from point-blank range.
Again the gang led by Mahto was held responsible for the murder of the BDO. Mahto’s close associate Guru Mukhiya is among the other accused persons facing trial in the case.
“Mahto’s involvement in issuing threat to the incumbent BDO has not yet been established,” a police officer associated with the investigation said. He added if Mahto’s involvement in the case is established then it will be difficult for the police to take action against him because of his political affiliations.
Singh said he was a bit hesitant to assume charge as BDO of Ariari. “Some of my colleagues and well wishers had cautioned me at the time of joining. But I did not pay heed to it and assumed charge,” he added.
