Janata Dal (United) polling agent killed in Nalanda; police launch probe

Unidentified criminals on Monday brutally murdered a Janata Dal (United) member in Maua village of Nalanda district, leaving the police puzzled whether it is a case of land dispute or political vendetta.

Anil Kumar (62) was on his way to his farm early in the morning when a group of people attacked with sharp-edged weapons, The Nalanda district magistrate and superintendent of police are closely monitoring the situation.

Kumar’s wife Pramila Devi has lodged a complaint against two people and said that her husband had a disputed plot of land with his brother. Her brothers-in-law, she alleged, were trying to sell the land, but Kumar was against it.

Their daughter Nitu Kumari told reporters that some local criminals had threatened her father with dire consequences when the Janata Dal (United) nominated him as their polling agent. “Two persons — Surendra Mahto and Rakesh Mahto — threatened my father with abduction threat, or dire consequences, after the parliamentary elections concluded,” she said.

According to the police, the deceased was the local polling agent in the seventh phase of general elections on June 1.

Nalanda SP Ashok Mishra told HT that upon getting information, SDPO (Hilsa) Gopal Krishna and other police officials arrived at the spot and inquired about the incident.

“Anil was found seriously injured around 4:30am. His family rushed him to a primary health centre in Parwalpur, from where he was transferred to Sadar Hospital in Bihar Sharif. However, he succumbed to the injuries,” Mishra said, adding that the police have launched a manhunt to nab the killers.

Nalanda MP Kaushalendra Kumar and the family members of the victim allege that on the day of polling, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supporters had warned him of dire consequences.

Kaushalendra Kumar reached the hospital and met the family members of the deceased and assured all possible assistance.

“Anil was the polling agent for our party in Maua village. He had been receiving threats from RJD. On Saturday evening, he was also verbally abused by the miscreants,” the MP said.