JD-U MLA Anant Singh Attacks Reporters, Arrested
Patna: Nov. 1, 2007
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JD-U MLA Anant Singh Attacks Reporters
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Photo by Shashi Uttam |
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Criminal-turned-Janata Dal (U) legislator Anant Singh was arrested and taken into police custody in Patna on Thursday after he and his criminal goons beat up press reporters and cameramen when they asked some tough questions on his alleged involvement in the murder of a woman whose dismembered body was found under Shastrinagar in Patna on Wednesday.
As reported, an Asian New International (ANI) cameraman Ajay Kumar, along with some other reporters went to Anant Singh's official residence where the legislator had rumored to have taken a reporter from NDTV, identified as Prakash Singh, hostage on the murdered woman's issue.
When they arrived at Singh's residence, they were assaulted by Singh and over a dozen of his musclemen who destroyed cameras and other items and beat them mercilessly.
The cameraman further told the police that the JD-U legislator snatched the reporter's car key, his cell phone and camera and destroyed it while making threats to other reporters.
The reporters were saved by Singh and his goons only after the DSP arrived at the legislator's home, said Prakash Singh who suffered bruises and cuts during the scuffle.
Acting swiftly, the Nitish government announced its decision to hand over the case to the CBI.
Anant Singh is the prime suspect in the brutal murder of a woman whose body was found in a gunny sack yesterday. Her killers had cut off her legs to fit her in the sack, the police said. He is also accused in nearly two dozen criminal cases including murders and kidnappings.
Unconfirmed reports said the woman had allegedly written a letter to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar about her being raped by Anant Singh and two of his lackeys including builder Mukesh Singh and bodyguard Vipin Singh.
In the letter, the woman said she was lured by Mukesh Singh who had promised to get her a job. Later, all three men gang-raped her and threatened to kill her if she tried to go to the police.
The police is conducting raids to arrest Mukesh and Vipin Singh who are said to be absconding.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, while condemning the attack on journalists, said he had asked the Center to allow the CBI to investigate charges against the MLA. "Justice will be served regardless of one's political affiliation," Kumar said.
Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has called for a Bihar bandh on Friday to protest against the incident.
Calling the incident a blotch on Nitish government, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, who visited the hospital in Gardanibagh to meet with the victims, said no one, including the journalists, was safe under the current Bihar government.
Demanding a CBI enquiry into charges against Anant Singh, Rabri Devi who was also accompanied by party state president Abdul Bari Siddiqui, said she would write to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to apprise them of the dwindling law and order situation in the state.
Enraged by the incident, RJD, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), CPI-ML, and National Students Union of India (NSUI) activists took out rally against the NDA government and burnt the effigy of Nitish Kumar demanding his resignation.
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