The Hindu : Front Page : BJP leader shot at, injured

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 07, 2005

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Front Page

BJP leader shot at, injured

K. Balchand

Ravi Shankar Prasad was campaigning in Bihar; assailant overpowered

VICTIM OF VIOLENCE: The former Union Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, at the Patna airport after he was flown in from Sasaram where he was shot at during an election rally on Thursday. — Photo: Ranjeet Kumar

PATNA: The former Union Minister and BJP Member of Parliament, Ravi Shankar Prasad, was shot at and injured at an election meeting at Nokha in Rohtas district on Thursday. The rally was being addressed by party general secretary Pramod Mahajan.The assailant fired at Mr. Prasad from a close range moments after he sat down after delivering his speech. Mr. Prasad, who received first aid at Sasaram, 25 km from Nokha, was later admitted to a private nursing home here. Doctors treating him for multiple fractures in his left arm said he was out of danger and his condition was "stable."

Buta Singh orders inquiry

Condemning the attack, Governor Buta Singh ordered an inquiry into the shooting and promised action against those who masterminded it. He directed officials to provide security to Mr. Prasad and to all political leaders during their election campaign in the State.

Home Secretary H.C. Shirohi identified the youth as Munna Kumar Rai, son of Laxman Kumar Rai of Natwar village. A police team has left for the village to verify his identity. The police claimed they recovered Vishwa Hindu Parishad literature from the man.

The assailant had managed a place for himself on the small platform, which was packed with party workers. After the attack, he was pinned down and beaten up by BJP supporters. Believing him to be dead, the man was taken to the morgue for an autopsy. However, doctors found him breathing and shifted him to Sasaram for treatment. They described his condition as critical.

The incident occurred not far from the venue where Lok Jan Shakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan was scheduled to address a meeting later. Mr. Mahajan, who jumped down from the dais after the shooting, said that the incident would not intimidate the BJP, and its leaders would carry on with their campaign undeterred. He alleged that the attack was an RJD-Congress conspiracy. It was not clear whether the criminal had targeted him or Mr. Prasad or local MLA Rameshwar Chaurasia. He claimed that no security arrangement was provided at the venue.

Mr. Chaurasia claimed that he was the target and that the assailant's bullet missed him and injured Mr. Prasad. He alleged that some policemen present on the dais ran away when the man started firing.

Rohtas DIG Umesh Kumar Singh told The Hindu that the officer-in-charge of the Nokha police station had been placed under suspension and that the Grand Trunk Road had been cleared of protesting BJP supporters. He denied that the local police station had been given information of the BJP meeting. RJD chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad condemned the attack and demanded an inquiry. "Use of violence in politics cannot be tolerated. The guilty should be punished, he said.

In New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner B.B. Tandon spoke to Bihar Chief Secretary G.S. Kang and expressed concern. "It [the attack] was unfortunate and I expressed my concern to the Chief Secretary and asked the authorities to be more alert."

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