Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader shot dead

Patna, Aug 14 (IANS) A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was shot dead in Bihar's capital city by two bike-borne assailants, said the police.

Ajay Shah, the BJP general secretary of Patna district, was shot dead late on Tuesday night.

Shah was reportedly attacked while he was in his shop, located near Bajrangpuri Canal under the Alamganj police station's jurisdiction.

The attackers, who remain unidentified, fled the scene after committing the crime.

According to the victim's nephew, Roshan Gupta, the assailants entered the shop and carried out the attack.

Sharath R.S., the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) for Patna City, mentioned that the case is currently under investigation. Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage in search of clues and have called the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officials to gather evidence from the crime scene.

The ASP also stated that family members have provided statements, indicating that two bikers were involved in the shooting after a brief altercation. Despite being rushed to Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, the victim was declared dead on arrival.

"It is the early stages of the investigation and we are questioning the family to understand the possible motives behind the attack,” The ASP said.

The body was sent for the postmortem.

Ajay Shah was an influential leader in the region and was said to be close to Patna Sahib MP Ravishankar Prasad.

Nikhil Anand, the national general secretary of the BJP OBC wing, expressed deep sorrow and shock over the incident.

“I urge law enforcement agencies to act swiftly to apprehend the culprits. We have witnessed a recent surge in crime incidents across Bihar. Despite this troubling trend, I firmly believe that the NDA government is capable, under Nitish Kumar's leadership, to manage the situation effectively,” Anand said.

Arvind Kumar Singh, the spokesperson for the BJP's Bihar unit, also voiced his shock at the news of Ajay Shah's murder.

“Patna Police should expedite the arrest of those responsible for the murder of Ajay Shah. He was a good leader of our party. I urge the authorities to put this case on a fast track for a speedy trial and bring justice to his family,” Singh said.

Recently, another BJP leader was gunned down in Bettiah City, West Champaran.

Mukesh Sahani’s father, the chief of the Vikassheel Insaan Party, was killed in Darbhanga last month.

These events have heightened concerns about the security of political leaders in the state and underscored the need for robust law enforcement measures.