Bihar: Row Over Murder Of VIP Chief's Father, Opposition Says Nitish Should 'Quit'

Jitan's body, with multiple stab wounds and cut marks on chest and stomach, was found inside his room at his house in the district's Biraul area, officials said.

The Darbhanga Police, in a statement, said that a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the matter.

Notably, Mukesh Sahani's VIP is an alliance partner of the opposition INDIA bloc. While all political parties, regardless of their party lines, condemned the act, opposition leaders slammed the law and order situation in the Nitish Kumar government-ruled state.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and state BJP chief Samrat Choudhary had expressed condolences over the unfortunate incident, assuring the people of the state that criminals involved in the crime would not be spared, adding that they will be nabbed soon.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and chief of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Chirag Paswan said in a post on X, The brutal murder of the father of Mukesh Sahani is highly condemnable... criminals will soon be identified and strict action will be taken against them. We offer heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family."

Oppn Slams NDA, Takes 'Maha-Jungleraaj' Jibe

Opposition leaders have slammed the ruling Nitish Kumar-led government in the state and the NDA over Jitan Sahani's murder.

RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari, addressing Jitan's "brutal murder", said that if the leaders' families in Bihar are not safe then the safety of the common people is at god's mercy.

"Why are BJP and NDA leaders quiet on this? They should come out and speak up. This is 'maha-jungleraaj'," Tiwari said.

Pappu Yadav, independent MP from Purnea, alleged that the state is in the "grips of criminals", asking whether Nitish Kumar's government is "good". He said so citing the "series of murders" that have happened in Bihar in the last few days.

RJD spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav said that the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, is an "unconscious state of mind".

He asked as to what was going in the state in the recent times, saying that not one day goes by without a murder. Yadav said that Nitish Kumar "might not even know by now that something has happened in the state. No political leader is safe in Bihar... The system has collapsed. Bihar is at the mercy of gods."

Meanwhile, hitting back at the opposition's remarks, Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin said that the government will probe the matter with immediate effect and the truth behind the murder will be revealed to the public.

"Junge raj was when the criminals hid in Tejashwi Yadav's residence and operated from there. In our government, the criminals know that they will be punished for their crimes sooner or later," Nabin added.

Even then, the opposition's retorts did not stop. RJD leader Shakti Singh Yadav, again while speaking to news agency ANI, said that there is no law and order in the state, adding that "there is a mindless government in the state".

"Is it 'Jungle Raaj' or 'Jallaad Raaj'...People of the state are afraid, they are always worried whenever they go out...Every day someone's son, wife or husband is being killed...The state government is doing nothing," Yadav added.

Meanwhile, RJD leader Manoj Jha said that Nitish Kumar should 'quit', since his government is not able to handle the state. Jha noted that there "is no law and order in the state and the people are suffering from this".

Congress UP President Ajay Rai said, "This is a condemnable and sad incident. Mukesh Sahani is a part of INDIA alliance... I express my grief on this."

Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj also slammed the "jungle-raj in Bihar", saying that the state is in a very bad condition and that the Nitish Kumar government is unable to work properly.

Who Is Mukesh Sahani?

Mukesh Sahani is the chief of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) in Bihar. Mukesh joined as a constituent in the opposition INDIA bloc before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The agreement of being alliance partners reportedly was made originally between Sahani's VIP and the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Mukesh is also known as the 'Son of Mallah', Hindustan Times reported. The Mallahs in the state amount for about seven per cent of the population.

Mukesh's video with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, while eating fish during Navratri in a helicopter, went viral on social media. This video also triggered a massive political row amid election campaigns for the Lok Sabha polls.

(With Inputs from ANI, PTI)