Family of Murdered Jan Suraaj Supporter Refuses Rituals Till all Accused Face Death Sentence

The family of murdered Jan Suraaj supporter Dular Chand Yadav declared on Sunday that they would forgo the traditional 'brahambhoj' death ritual until all five accused in his killing are arrested and sentenced to death, a poignant act of defiance amid escalating demands for justice in Bihar's tense pre-poll environment. Yadav, a 65-year-old former gangster entangled in multiple criminal cases, met a violent end on October 30 while rallying for Jan Suraaj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi in the Mokama assembly constituency near Patna. His grandson, who lodged the FIR naming JD(U) contender Anant Singh and four associates, accused political opponents of engineering the assault with administrative collusion. This vow, articulated hours after Singh's predawn arrest, highlights the raw grief and systemic distrust fuelling Bihar's undercurrents of unrest.

The grandson's resolute words—"We will not proceed with 'Brahambhoj' unless all five accused are arrested and sentenced to death"—embody a cultural standoff, as the ritual symbolises communal closure in Hindu rites, now weaponised for accountability. With over 20 detentions, recovered arms, and ongoing CCTV probes, the case transcends personal vendetta, potentially swaying rural loyalties toward Priyadarshi's insurgency.

Anant Singh, a polarising 'Bahubali' figure and four-time ex-MLA with convictions for illegal arms and explosives, was vying to recapture Mokama—currently held by his wife, Neelam Devi—on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) ticket. The fatal clash ignited during a campaign convoy standoff, where Yadav's faction disputed passage with Singh's supporters, devolving into mass stone-throwing that injured dozens. Post-mortem reports confirmed Yadav's demise from cardiorespiratory shock due to blunt-force trauma to his heart and lungs, ruling out a leg gunshot as fatal.

Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar affirmed the investigation's evidentiary focus, including FSL verification of a circulating video allegedly depicting Yadav pelting stones, while two additional suspects—Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram—were nabbed, joining Singh in custody for today's court production.

Also Read: #BiharPolls: Tensions Flare in Mokama After Jan Suraaj Supporter’s Killing

Poll violence, claiming at least five lives already, erodes Kumar's 'susashan' (good governance) image, even as official data notes a 30% crime drop since 2020. For Singh, judicial remand derails his robust outreach against RJD's Veena Devi—wife of ex-MP Surajbhan Singh—disrupting JD(U)'s equation in this swing constituency.

As Bihar hurtles toward verdict day, this standoff amplifies calls for electoral safeguards, challenging authorities to transcend partisanship. In a democracy where ballots mingle with brawls, the Yadavs' vigil for vengeance may catalyse broader reckoning, ensuring justice eclipses power plays.

Also Read: #BiharPolls: PM Modi Targets Congress, RJD; Says Only NDA can End Bihar’s “Jungle Raj”