Village turns fortress after mukhiya murder

Patna: Uchakagaon Pidra village in Gopalganj district has virtually turned into a fortress following the death of Balesara panchayat mukhiya (panchayat head) Mahatam Choudhary, who along with his wife and two sons was shot at and critically injured on Tuesday evening.

Mahatam Choudhary, who was closely associated with an influential RJD leader of the district, succumbed to his injuries at a Gorakhpur hospital in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, his eldest son, Satyendra Choudhary, had died in the incident.

The slain mukhiya’s wife, Prabhawati Devi, and her younger son Nagendra Choudhary are still undergoing treatment at a hospital in Lucknow. Four members of the family suffered gunshot injuries during an attack on their house at Pidra village on Tuesday evening.

Gopalganj superintendent of police (SP) Rasheed Zaman said additional armed forces have been deployed at the village as a precautionary measure. He along with the district magistrate Animesh Kumar Parashar visited the spot on Wednesday night and took stock of the situation.

The SP said a chairman of the primary agriculture credit society (PACS) Suresh Choudhary and a former mukhiya’s son Babloo Dubey have been made named accused in the case. While Dubey was arrested last night, Suresh was absconding after the incident, he said.

Political rivalry was said to be the reason behind the double murder case. “An alert has been sounded in Mirganj and its adjoining areas. Patrolling has been intensified and raids launched to nab the culprits,” the SP said, adding “The top officials including the district magistrate were camping at the site.”

The trouble started around 9am when Mahatam Choudhary’s body reached his native village, Pidra, from Gorakhpur in an ambulance. Residents put up road blockades and paralysed traffic to press for immediate arrest of the people involved in the crime.

“Now the situation at the slain mukhiya’s native village is under control,” the SP said adding that police were keeping a close watch on the development. The cops have been told to keep an eye over the movement of strangers at the village and take appropriate action.

Courtesy: The Telegraph