The son of a JD(U) MLC in Bihar remained absconding two days after he allegedly shot dead a 20-year-old youth in a road rage incident even as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today asserted that the accused cannot escape the "long arm of the law".
A bandh was observed in Gaya town in protest against the incident which gave ammunition to the NDA parties to hit out at the Nitish Kumar government with Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan even saying it is time to impose President's rule in the state.
Aditya Sachdeva was shot dead allegedly by JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi's son Rakesh Ranjan Yadav alias Rocky Kumar Yadav for overtaking his vehicle near police lines in Gaya district on Saturday night.
Raids are being conducted at several places for tracing Rocky who has been absconding since the incident, Magadh Zone DIG Saurabh Kumar said.
Rocky's father Bindeshwari Prasad Yadav alias Bindi Yadav, known in the area for his muscle and money power, and Manorama Devi's bodyguard Rajesh Kumar were arrested yesterday for allegedly helping the accused escape.
A Gaya court today remanded both--Bindi Yadav and Rajesh Kumar--to a 14-day judicial custody in connection with the case.
Shops and business establishments in Gaya remained shut in view of the bandh called by the BJP and some social and political outfits in protest against the incident.
Talking to reporters after the 'Janata ke Darbar me Mukhya Mantri' programme in Patna, Nitish Kumar rejected the opposition barb of "return of jungle raj" in the wake of the youth's murder.
"...(the jungle raj barb) is a subjective approach of the BJP. For them the person committing a crime is more important. But for me the incident is more significant irrespective of the person or his family's standing," Kumar said.
"An SIT has been constituted and the police is on hot pursuit of the fugitive offender....The police is working independently without any influence from any quarter," he said.
Kumar was reacting to a question on BJP observing a bandh in Gaya today to protest against "return of jungle raj".
Asked if action would be initiated also against Manorama Devi, the Chief Minister did not give a categorical answer but said "a thorough probe is on in the incident and nobody would be spared."
"How long can one run away from the long arm of law ?" the CM asked.
Protesters, led by the Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar, took out a procession near Kotwali police station raising slogans against the state government and demanding arrest of the culprits. They were later detained by the police.
"This is the right time to impose President's rule in Bihar," Paswan told reporters in Patna.
Union minister Uma Bharti came down heavily on the Nitish Kumar government for the "deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar" and said the Gaya incident showed that people belonging to the ruling alliance were drunk with power.
