Patna, July 30: A lawyer and a three-year-old boy lost their lives in a sudden bomb attack this morning near a bus stand in Muzaffarpur, serving yet another blow to chief minister Nitish Kumar's claim of susashan (good governance).
Five youths on two motorbikes hurled crude bombs at the lawyer, Madan Sharma alias Brajesh Sharma (45), at Marwan bus stand around 9.30am. He was waiting for a bus to Muzaffarpur town.
The other victim - Ashish Kumar (3) - suffered fatal splinter injuries of bombs exploded by the assailants while fleeing, moments after the kid had alighted from a bus with his mother.
A cycle shop owner, Kishore Thakur (32), who suffered splinter injuries in the bomb explosion at Marwan Chowk in Muzaffarpur, around 60km north of Patna, was released after first aid. Police claimed he was out of danger.
Saraiya deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Manoj Kumar said the deceased lawyer was a resident of Goriyara village under the jurisdiction of Karza police station. The DSP said the reason behind the murder of the lawyer was yet to be ascertained but an investigation officer said prima facie the incident appeared to be the fallout of a land dispute.
The lawyers of Muzaffarpur civil court have given an ultimatum to the district police to arrest the criminals within 24 hours, failing which they would resort to indefinite agitation. Muzaffarpur district unit president of Bar Association S.N. Sinha said: "We have convened a meeting tomorrow to chalk out the future course of action."
As the news of Sharma's murder reached the court, the lawyers abstained from work.
This is the second incident of murder of a practising lawyer in the poll-bound Bihar within a week. Earlier, Raj Narayan (28) was gunned down by armed criminals in Danapur on July 23.
Today's daylight bomb attack in which the lawyer and the three-year-old kid lost their lives has put a question mark on the quality of policing in Muzaffarpur. Chief minister Nitish had categorically directed the field officials last month to improve the law and order in the state. He had said laxity in policing would not be tolerated.
In sharp contrast, there was not a single man in uniform at the bus stop when the criminals attacked the lawyer today. Eyewitnesses said the police reached the spot 30 minutes after the incident.
Agitated over the incident, a group of residents blocked the Muzaffarpur-Rewa road and disrupted traffic for three hours, demanding immediate arrest of the criminals. The blockade was lifted after the intervention of senior police officers.
City superintendent of police Rajendra Kumar Bheel said: "Raids have been launched to arrest the criminals involved in the bomb blasts."
