By India Today News Desk: Four assailants gunned down a Dalit leader, who was preparing for Ambedkar Jayanti, on Thursday in Bihar’s Hajipur. The incident took place in the evening when the national secretary of the Dalit Sena, Rakesh Paswan, was busy with preparations for Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations in the Panchdhamiya area of Lal Ganj police station, where he resided.
According to sources, four men arrived and touched his feet before opening fire on him, killing him on the spot.
ALSO READ | Dalit man killed in Rajasthan, family demands job, Rs 1 crore aid
The incident caused grief and panic in the area. The DM and SP arrived and they consoled Rakesh’s supporters and family members.
Rakesh’s blood-soaked body lay at his residence as chaos erupted in the area. His supporters and family members rushed him to the nearest hospital, but he had already passed away. Police lodged a case and started their investigation.
Rakesh’s supporters and family members staged a protest seeking justice for the leader outside the hospital all night. They refused to let the police take Rakesh’s body for a post-mortem until their demands for justice were met. The police finally managed to persuade them to let go of the body and continue their protest peacefully.
ALSO READ | Dalit woman’s rape case: BJP lashes out at Gehlot govt, says law and order in tatters
The police launched a massive search operation and finally apprehended four suspects. The suspects were identified as members of a rival political party, who wanted to eliminate Rakesh to gain an upper hand in the upcoming elections.
