Patna, July 15: Around 20 people attacked a practicing lawyer and his colleague with sticks and iron rods, killing one, in a savage display of how the ongoing political turmoil was taking a toll on the state's law and order condition.
Rajiv Kumar, 45, a practicing lawyer of Hajipur civil court, was killed and another advocate, Sanjay Kumar, 40, injured when they were attacked near Dighi under the jurisdiction of Hajipur sadar police station in Vaishali district on Saturday morning. They were attacked over a land dispute, PTI said.
Agitated over the daylight incident, some advocates and relatives of the murdered lawyer blocked the road near the district collectorate and indulged in arson and stone pelting. The police had a tough time dealing with the situation.
"Two advocates have been killed in a short span of three days," said Patna High Court advocates association president Yogesh Chandra Verma. "This is a reflection of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. It's a matter of concern that even people who assist the administration in enforcing rule of law are not safe in Bihar these days."
There has been a spate of murders, loot, rape and extortion ever since the state plunged into a political crisis following the CBI raid on properties belonging to RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family members over benami property.
On July 13, armed criminals had killed a lawyer of the Chhapra civil court, Ramendra Kumar Chauhan, 55, when he was going to the court on his motorbike. "The legal fraternity is shocked over frequent attacks on lawyers across the state. Political uncertainty has only added fuel to the fire," said Muzaffarpur-based advocate Sushil Kumar.
In Arwal, an 18-year-old girl was gang-raped and subsequently killed. Her mother, a widow, alleged that the police did not take action against the accused as their families have a political background. Another woman was gang-raped in neighbouring Gaya district.
In Muzaffarpur, the undeclared commercial capital of north Bihar, the husband of a serving woman mukhiya was murdered at Sahebganj on Friday. On July 11, armed criminals had robbed a private agent working for the railway of Rs 11.36 lakh.
A trader from Ara, Krishna Singh, was killed on Sunday, allegedly over extortion. Several cases of traders receiving extortion calls have been reported. On Friday, Maoists killed three persons in Jamui district on the suspicion that they were police informers.
"Small incidents prepare the ground for bigger crimes and that is what is happening in Bihar now," social activist Pramod Kumar said.
"Crime takes place. But suspects or accused are being arrested in the cases," additional director-general (headquarters) S.K. Singhal said.
"Though Nitish is considered a tough administrator, the ongoing political upheaval has created a perception that there is slide in law and order situation in the state," Pramod said. "The transfer of several superintendents of police (SPs) and additional SPs has been put in a limbo because of the crisis, he said. He, however, hoped that Nitish would initiate steps to check the spiralling crime graph. He admitted the police administration appeared lax and this has led to a perception that crime was going up. "I am sure Nitish will take appropriate measures and the situation won't slide further."
Alarmed over the incidents, the police headquarters has asked SPs to tighten the noose around criminals under their jurisdiction.
