'State at mercy of God': Bihar politician's father brutally murdered, opposition slams NDA govt

The father of a top politician in the eastern Indian state of Bihar was brutally murdered on Tuesday (Jul 16) in his home. The body of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani's father was recovered in a mutilated condition. Mukesh was in Mumbai at the time of the murder. He left immediately for his home in Darbhanga after being informed about the incident.

Local police have opened a probe into the murder of Jitan Sahani and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed, comprising the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) and the Station House Officer (SHO).

Police found several stab injuries and cut marks on Jitan Sahani's chest and stomach.

Nitin Nabin, a minister in the Bihar government, said personal enmity could have motivated the murderers. "The government will investigate the matter and the truth will be revealed," he said.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer Manish Chandra Choudhary said after a preliminary investigation that somebody may have entered the house with the intention of theft and was caught red-handed.

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi reacted to the development on social media and said he was "shocked".

"I demand from the state government that the culprits should be arrested immediately and a speedy trial should be conducted. My party and I are with Mukesh Sahani ji in every way in this hour of grief," he wrote in a post in Hindi.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party slammed the ruling Janata Dal (United), an ally of the national ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for the 'collapse' of the law and order situation in the state.

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"...What is going on in Bihar? No day goes by without a murder...The Chief Minister is in an unconscious state of mind. He might not even know by now that something has happened in the state. No political leader is safe in Bihar... The system has collapsed. Bihar is at the mercy of gods...," said RJD Spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav.

(With inputs from agencies)