Police Leaves for Bhagalpur to Search for Murder Clues
Patna: Sept. 19, 2007
 A special team of Bihar police on Wednesday left for Bhagalpur to look for links that might have led to the Tuesday murder of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader from Bhagalpur Pappu Khan in Patna that led to a widespread condemnation of the Nitish government over law and order condition in the state including a protest by the RJD leaders.
The move came after Khan's wife Naushaba Khan, who was also in the car when the crime took place, named one Riazul Khan of Bhagalpur, his brother-in-law, and six other unnamed persons – all of Bhagalpur- as key accused in the murder of her husband.
Earlier, the body of Khan was brought to his home in Harun Nagar in Phulwarisharif from Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) where an autopsy was conducted on the deceased. RJD leaders Ram Kripal Yadav and Ramchandra Purbey were among many who were there to console the grieving family members.
Khan's body was taken to Bhagalpur where he will be buried at his ancestral village of Tarapur on Thursday.
As reported before, Khan was returning to his home in Phulwarisharif on Tuesday evening when unidentified criminals on motorcycles opened fire at him killing him on the spot while injuring his brother-in-law Teepu Khan.
Teepu who was taken to a private hospital is said to be recovering from his injuries and is out of any danger.
Meanwhile, RJD leaders and supporters, on Wednesday, organized a dharna at the Income Tax roundabout to protest against Khan's killing.
Speaking to the crowd, RJD MP Ram Kripal Yadav accused the Nitish government of 'systematically eliminating hundreds of RJD supporters and activists' in last two years.
"Pappu Khan's killing is part of the same plan," Yadav said.
Ghulam Gaus, the leader of the Opposition in the State Legislature, giving a communal color to the entire episode, said the NDA government in Bihar was anti-minority and was openly engaging in practices that were not in the interests of members of the minority community.
Besides Yadav and Gaus, those who took part in the dharna included Yunus Lohia, Ram Vachan Rai, Ram Nihora Yadav, Muni Lal Yadav, Dashrath Paswan, and many other RJD activists.
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