Mother of slain mukhiya wins

Biharsharif: Riding on the sympathy wave, Dharmasheela Devi, mother of Poonam Devi, who was killed just two days after winning the election for the mukhiya post of Kolawan panchayat in Harnaut block of Nalanda district on June 10, trounced Gita Devi by a huge margin in the byelection. The result was declared on Saturday.

Poonam had also defeated Gita, whose husband Bali Ram alias Balli Gope and three others were named accused in the case.

The district police, with the help of special task force, arrested Balli and an accomplice of Santosh Yadav from Delhi last month while Pappu Singh, another accomplice of Balli and an accused in the case, was arrested from Telmar road only last week.

Pappu is believed to have arranged the logistics for killing Poonam near a temple under Kalyan Bigha police OP area on June 10. The fourth accused is still at large.

Poonam was gunned down by motorbike-borne criminals near a temple under Kalyan Bigha police OP area, the home turf of CM Nitish Kumar, when she was returning home from Harnaut Bazar to celebrate her victory on June 10.

Just after declaration of results, Harnaut block BDO cum returning officer Chandan Kumar administered the oath to Dharamsheela who was taken home in tight police security.

While Dilip Kumar from Sarah panchayat was elected ward member, Pikesh Chaudhry was elected panchayat member from Pesour and Purushottam was elected district council member from Hilsa East in the byelection.