Bandh in Sitamarhi town against trader’s murder

PATNA/SITAMARHI: The shops and other business establishments in Sitamarhi remained closed on Friday against the murder of noted cement trader Govind Kumar alias Guddu Bhagwani. Autorickshaws and buses also remained off the roads in solidarity with the local residents and members of the trade community.

Bhagwani (45) was shot dead by bike-borne assailants when he dealing with some customers in his shop at Bariyarpur Mohanpur under Town police station area on Thursday.

Half a dozen associations, including North Bihar Chamber of Commerce, Vyapari Sangh, Khudra Vyavsayi Sangh and Chemists and Druggist Association took out a protest march in the town demanding immediate transfer of SP Anil Kumar for his failure to contain crime in the district.

The protesters alleged that three people, including sub-inspector Dinesh Ram, were killed during the last 36 hours. Expressing concern over the fast deteriorating law and order situation in the district, an electronic goods dealer, preferring anonymity, said people have stopped stepping out after sunset as a fear psychosis has gripped the residents of the town.

Amid reports of bandh, an alleged extortionist, Vivek Yadav, owned the responsibility of killing the cement trader and circulated handwritten pamphlets threatening others to meet the same fate. The police seized the pamphlets from Mohanpur locality. Vivek, in the pamphlets, claimed that the trader was killed for his failure to pay Rs5 lakh extortion money demanded about two weeks ago.

A section of local businessmen said the SP had promised to issue arms licenses to the traders after the murder of Prabhash Hisaria, the owner of Prabhash Cycle Store. But nothing happened on this front.

The SP, however, said the criminals involved in the cement dealer’s murder would be arrested soon. He instructed Town police station SHO Vikas Kumar Rai to intensify raids to nab the culprits.

On Thursday, IG (Tirhut range) Ganesh Kumar reviewed the law and order situation in the district and issued necessary instructions to instill a sense of security among the people in general and business community in particular.

The SP visited Sitamarhi in the wake of sub-inspector Dinesh Ram’s killing during a raid at Kuaari Madan village under Majorganj police station area in the district on Wednesday. Two of the named accused in the SI murder case — Mukul Singh and Abhishek Singh — were arrested on Thursday. The service revolver of the slain cop was also recovered.