M A I N   N E W S

Five massacred in Siwan

SIWAN (Bihar), Oct 17 (UNI) — Five persons were massacred at Tahira village late last night, taking to 16 the toll within five days and adding fuel to simmering gangster tensions in this lawless Bihar district.

The five, belonging to families of the village, were killed in apparent retaliation to the massacre of 11 persons at Mojahidpur on Friday night, the police, who had “tightened” security in the district after Friday’s massacre, said.

The state Director-General of Police said in Patna that the police could not provide security cover to “everyone”.

In the south of the state, at least one villager was killed in an encounter with the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) extremists at Nainpur in Giridih district yesterday. Unofficial sources said two MCC ultras were also killed in the encounter.

Officials said the five killed at Tahira, in the age group of 13 to 90, were killed on the spot. They were attacked with sophisticated weapons in their village, barely 2 km from Mojahidpur.

Two of the seriously injured were rushed to Patna Medical College Hospital while another was admitted to a local hospital.

Tension ran high in Tahira where an irate crowd prevented the administration from lifting the bodies. Senior officers were at the spot, which was about to witness a flurry of official visits.

Ruling RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and Law Minister Shakeel Ahmad Khan had already reached the village. Official sources said some other state ministers had also rushed to the spot. The CPI (ML) and Congress were rushing their own teams.

The district’s borders had been sealed and raids were on to nab the killers, police said.

The CPI (ML) alleged that Rashtriya Janata Dal mp mohammed Shahabuddin and Samata Party-supported gang of Satish Pandey were trying to disturb communal peace in Siwan district. Those killed were members of the minority community.

Party state secretary Ramjatan Sharma said the party had rushed a team comprising its permanent committee member Akhilesh, former legislator of Darauli Amarnath Yadav, legislator of Mairwah Satyadeo Ram and All-India Progressive Women’s Association activist Shamima Khatun.

The party staged a protest march at Mairawah today, demanding suspension of the District Magistrate and the Police Superintendent of Siwan, holding them responsible for the incident.

All-India Congress Committee members Ram Naresh Yadav and Mr Jagdish Tytler had also rushed to the village.

Party state General Secretary Prem Chandra Mishra said the party was of the view that a high-level conspiracy had been hatched by vested interests to disturb social peace in the district.