Bihar poll: Sheohar candidate, supporter shot dead; attacker lynched
Sheohar: A Janata Dal Rashtravadi party candidate and one of his supporters were shot dead during their poll campaign in Bihar's Sheohar, while the suspected attacker was also lynched, police said on Sunday.
Shri Narayan Singh, 45, was killed on Saturday evening while campaigning at the Hathsar village in the Puyanhiya police station area, they said
Singh himself had a criminal record and over three dozen cases registered against him, they said.
Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh linked the killing to a "gang war". Sheohar's Sub-Divisional Police Officer Rakesh Kumar said Singh was shot in his chest.
He was rushed to the Sheohar Sadar Hospital from where he was referred to another facility, but he died on the way, police said.
Singh was campaigning when the attack happened, the SP said. The suspected attacker was in the crowd walking with the candidate and shot at him, he said.
One of the candidate's supporters was also injured and he later died, he added. The attacker was then beaten to death by the mob, the officer said.
The Sheohar seat has 15 candidates in the fray, including five independents. The RJD, the JDU and the LJP have fielded their candidates from the seat. The BSP is also contesting.
Police said security has been tightened in the area and paramilitary personnel deployed. Trihut Range Inspector General of Police Ganesh Kumar visited the spot.
Police said Singh's last rite has not been conducted yet. The constituency goes to poll in the second phase on November 3. The Janata Dal Rashtravadi is a registered party.
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NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
