Bihar: FIR against RJD MLA, brothers for assaulting JD(U) leader in Purnea

The injured complainant is currently undergoing treatment at the Purnea government hospital and has accused the MLA of forcing him to drink urine.

The Purnea police late on Thursday booked a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA and his five brothers in connection with a case of brutal assault on a local Janata Dal (United) leader.

Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Syed Ruknuddin Ahmad. (Photo from X)

Baisi MLA Syed Ruknuddin Ahmad, an AIMIM turncoat who joined the RJD in 2022, has also been accused of indulging in corrupt practices in the area and JD(U) leaders have raised taken the matter to the masses at a time when the Bihar assembly election is scheduled later this year.

The injured complainant is currently undergoing treatment at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Purnea and has accused the MLA of forcing him to drink urine when he asked for water. The MLA, however, has ruled out his involvement in it.

JD(U) leader Md Rehan Fazal, who is undergoing treatment for broken bones in hand and leg, told HT that he was forcibly confined in the room by the brothers and the MLA’s henchmen, and alleged that they brutally assaulted him with an iron rod till he fell unconscious.

“When I regained senses, I asked for water, but they instead gave me urine,” he alleged. Fazal said his family members somehow came to know about his illegal confinement and brutal assault and reported it to the police.

The victim, who is the JD(U) vice president in Baisi, said, “I objected to his (MLA) illegal capture of land of a Dalit and raised some issues against the MLA,” adding, “his henchmen including his brothers forcibly took me to his ‘torture house’ and brutally thrashed me with the rods. The MLA tortures anyone who raises voice against him.”

“An FIR has been lodged under sections 191 (2), 191 (3), 190, 127 (1), 127 (2), 115 (2), 118 (1), 123, 351, 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and further probe is underway,” station house officer (SHO) Sanjeev Kumar said.

“As the matter involves an MLA, we have sought guidelines from our superiors, but we’ll take appropriate action,” a police officer said.

Shahid Raza, JD(U) district president (Minority cell) and Pirpainty assembly in-charge of the party, said, “We have communicated all the things to our party high command and an FIR has also been lodged at Baisi police station against the MLA and his brothers.”

Raza alleged that the MLA and his family had been running their own ‘government’ in the area and hardly anyone dared to say anything against them in public.

The MLA and his family members have courted controversy in the past too for wrongfully taking government money meant for the poor.

“You will find the name of all the members, even the name of the wife of MLA in the rolls of MGNREGA job cards,” Raza alleged. “We have procured the photocopies of all such cards.” He claimed that not only in MLA’s village Bariya but also in his Minapur Panchayat, government schools have to seek permission from his family to run mid-Day-Meal.”

Raza further alleged that he had evidence to prove that the MLA and his family members are the custodians of all job cards of poor people made under MGNREGA.

“We have been living here at their (MLA and his family members) mercy and in case we raise voice, we will be eliminated,” a Dalit woman told HT requesting anonymity. “Here, there is no administration, no police and I must say there is no government here and everything goes on as per their will,” another villager said, calling the RJD MLA’s family “cruel dictators”.

Meanwhile, the RJD MLA called the allegations “baseless” and said, “We protected him from being killed.”

Purnea district RJD president Mithilesh Das told HT over phone that the complainant is a person of criminal antecedents and criminal cases are still pending with the police. He added that the party would demand an impartial investigation into the matter. “We’ll meet SP in this regard,” he said.

“It was a blunder by the party to induct him into our fold. This incident will bring disgrace to the party not only in Baisi but also in all four Seemanchal districts Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria and Purnea, comprising 24 assembly seats,” a senior RJD leader said.