Police arrest prime accused in brutal murder of Patna university student
Patna (PTI): Bihar Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested the prime accused in the brutal murder of a final year undergraduate student of BN College on the law college campus of Patna University.
The arrested accused has been identified as Chandan Kumar, a final-year student of Patna college and a resident of Bihta, Patna.
Police claimed, that Kumar, who was residing in Jackson hostel of Patna college, hatched the conspiracy to kill Harsh Raj, a student of BN College, Patna University, on Monday.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Patna, Rajeev Mishra told PTI, "Chandan Kumar is the prime accused in the case. His further interrogation is on".
Harsh Raj (22), a final year undergraduate student, was beaten to death by some unidentified persons on the law college campus of Patna University on Monday.
The incident had taken place when the 22-year-old student was coming out from his examination centre in the afternoon. He had gone to appear for his graduation examination on the law college campus and was beaten up by a group of students. He was injured. The police took him to the hospital, where he died during treatment.
According to a statement issued by the Patna Police, "Soon after the incident, the district police formed a SIT and nabbed Chandan Kumar, who allegedly hatched the conspiracy, on Tuesday. During custodial interrogation, Kumar confessed to have committed the crime. He has also revealed the identity of other accused involved in the case".
"Prima facie it appears that the incident may have taken place because of some old enmity. However, the exact cause of the incident can only be known after completion of the investigation", said a senior officer of the Patna Police. Police have launched a manhunt to nab other accused.
Certain groups of students staged protest marches in different places in the city as well as outside Patna University. A large number of security personnel have been deployed on the campus to check any untoward incident, the officer added.
Meanwhile, Patna university has reportedly postponed all examinations after this incident.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
