Bihar: Former MP Mohammed Shahabuddin’s relative shot dead in Siwan

A relative of former Siwan MP Mohammed Shahabuddin was killed in Siwan town late Friday night, the police said on Saturday, even as they look for a motive for the murder. An FIR has been lodged against unknown persons at Hussainganj police station in Siwan. There has been no arrest yet.
The police said Mohammed Yusuf (28), a resident of Pratappur village – the former RJD MP also comes from the same village – had been shot around 10 pm on Friday near the cafe he ran in the town.
According to the police, Yusuf had been shot from close range on the chest and was lying by the road for nearly an hour before he was taken to Sadar Hospital. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Yusuf was said to have been close to the convicted and jailed MP’s son, Osama. He had assisted Shahabuddin’s wife Heena Shahab, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Siwan, it is learnt.
Yusuf did not have any criminal antecedent, the police said.
Stating that the police’s priority is to



maintain law and order, Siwan SP Navin Chandra Jha said, “Additional police force has been deployed in Siwan town.”
“The police are talking to the local people to get more information about Yusuf and his possible enemies,” a Hussainganj police officer said.
Not specifically mentioning the Siwan killing, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar about what he called rise in crime incidents in the state. The letter stated: “It seems anti-social elements have been presented with a free run to go about their business fearlessly. Many incidents of daylight contract killings, political killings, rapes and abductions for ransom and different organised killings, backed by people close to the establishment, are being reported from all parts of the state.”
Stating that he had not written the letter to “score any political points”, Tejashwi wrote, “It is about my constitutional duty as Leader of Opposition, and your duty as Chief Minister of the state.”