Local Councillor Shot Dead in Bihar, RJD Leaders Blame Govt for Law & Order Failure

GG News Bureau
Hajipur, 21st August. Local councillor Pankaj Rai was shot dead by three assailants in Hajipur, Bihar, on Tuesday evening. The attack occurred at a clothing shop near Rai’s residence.

The attackers, who arrived on a motorcycle, fired indiscriminately at Rai before following him into his home and continuing the assault. Rai, a first-time elected councillor from Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), was hit three times.

Despite being rushed to the hospital by family and locals, he was declared dead on arrival.

RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav criticized Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for failing to maintain law and order.

“NDA goons led by Nitish Kumar shot dead ward councillor Pankaj Rai in Hajipur at night. The Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers are sleeping peacefully while their goons are creating mayhem,” Yadav said.

Police said that Rai had previously lodged a complaint about a dispute six months before his murder, but no action was taken. Senior Police officials, including Superintendent of Police (SP) Har Kishore Rai, visited the crime scene and the hospital to gather information and comfort the bereaved family. An investigation is underway, with police examining CCTV footage from the area to identify the suspects.

RJD MLA Mukesh Roshan, who also visited the hospital, condemned the state’s law and order situation, calling the murder a failure of governance. “Pankaj Rai was an active worker of the RJD. His murder is a testament to the fact that lawmakers are not safe inside their own homes. It’s ‘jungle-raj’ in Bihar,” Roshan remarked.