Ara (Bihar) June 1
Brahmeshwar Singh, chief of the Bihar's outlawed private militia of landlords Ranvir Sena, was shot dead today by six unidentified gunmen who pumped several bullets into him while he was taking a morning walk.

Violence broke out in the district headquarter town of Ara in Bhojpur district after the killing of septuagenarian Brahmeshwar Singh, alias Mukhiyaji, and a high alert was sounded in the state.

Curfew was clamped in Ara but it was lifted in the afternoon after a high-level review of the situation by senior state officials. The situation in the district was described as tense, but under control.

DGP Abhayanand, who is camping at the spot, was heckled by local people who charged him with failure to provide security to Singh.

Brahmeshwar Singh, founder of the Ranvir Sena, was taking a stroll when six unidentified gunmen armed with sophisticated weapons pumped several bullets into him, killing him on the spot at Katira mohalla under the Nawada police station, 71 km from Patna, the police said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has appealed to the people to maintain peace and said investigations were underway to trace the killers.

Brahmeshwar Singh, who faced life imprisonment in several cases of carnage of lower caste landless poor, including in Laxmanpur Bathe where 61 Dalits were massacred in December, 1996, was acquitted and released from the jail in April this year.

As the news of the killing spread, hundreds of sena supporters gathered at the site of the killing and raised anti-government slogans.

The sena clashed with policemen and burnt five private and government vehicles, sources said. Hundreds of people took out processions in the district.

Private bus operators suspended bus services in Patna, causing immense hardship to passengers in the area.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC would remain in force, sub-divisional police officer Dharmesh Kumar said, adding the situation was tense, but under control.

The RJD, the Congress and the LJP have demanded a CBI probe into the killing of Brahmeshwar Singh. — PTI