Kanhaiya's supporter killed in Begusarai dist

BEGUSARAI/PATNA: One Fago Tanti (60), said to be a CPI activist, was allegedly kidnapped and brutally thrashed under the Matihani police station area in Begusarai district on Thursday night. Fago, a small farmer, was found lying in a pool of blood with multiple injuries near Bhawnadpur from where he was rushed to Begusarai Sadar hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The victim’s brother, Ramchandra Tanti, alleged that Fago was kidnapped from his Mahaji village while returning home from Pachrukhi Bahiyar on Thursday evening. The incident has sparked off tension in the area.

Matihani SHO Santosh Kumar Sharma said the deceased was wearing a red T-shirt with the ‘Hum le ke rahenge aazadi’ slogan printed on it. It was a favourite slogan of CPI nominee and former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and his supporters during electioneering in Begusarai. The SHO said Fago was a CPI supporter.

“Police lapses led to his murder,” Ramchandra told journalists on Friday. An FIR has been lodged against unknown persons in this connection. The body was handed over to the family after autopsy.

Former Bachhwara MLA Awadhesh Rai claimed Fago had supported Kanhaiya in the Lok Sabha election held in Begusarai on April 29. CPI secretary Anil Kumar Anjan descried the incident as a fallout of political rivalry. “Feudal forces in the area were not happy with Tanti. So they settled score with him after the election,” Rai alleged.

Begusarai SDPO (headquarters) Kundan Kumar Singh said the allegations were being verified.

A senior IPS officer said, “We are alert and maintaining a close vigil on the developments in Begusarai.”