A BJP leader was gunned down by unidentified gunmen on a highway at Shaktigarh in Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal on Saturday evening, reports said.

According to the police, unidentified attackers opened fire on the car in which Businessman-politician Raju Jha was travelling in along with three other people.

Giving details, a senior official said Raju Jha and some colleagues were on their way to Kolkata when the car they were travelling in was fired upon by the assailants outside a confectionery shop in Shaktigarh. He said that Jha and his three colleagues sustained bullet injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared the BJP leader dead on arrival, while his injured colleagues are receiving treatment and their condition is stated to be stable.

Superintendent of Police, Bardhaman, Kamnashish Sen said a case has been registered in this regard, however, the motive behind the assassination of Jha is yet to be ascertained, adding that further investigation is ongoing.

As per local media reports, Jha and his friends stopped at Shaktigar enroute Kolkata and parked the car off the highway when the attacker pulled up in another car, showered a volley of bullets on the saffron party leader and his associates, and then fled the scene.

SP Sen said nearby security camera footage is being scanned and the driver’s statement is also being recorded by the police.

Reports quoting sources said that local vendors are being questioned by the police in a bid to trace the car used in the assassination

Raju Jha, a prominent Durgapur-based businessman, who was accused of running an illegal coal business in Silpanchal during the Left Front regime in West Bengal and also has several cases lodged against him under the current Trinamool Congress rule in the state, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ahead of last assembly polls in December 2021.

Following the celebrations of Ram Navami in Bihar, tensions gripped the state as reports of clashes came to light in Rohtas and Nalanda districts yesterday. It was reported that the violence led to a death in the state.

As per the reports, one person was killed whereas several others were injured due to the clash that broke out between two groups on Saturday night in Nalanda’s Biharsharif. Whereas Rohtas’s Sasaram Town also witness a similar predicament, six people were injured due to a blast that happened at a house.

Following the blast at the house in Sasaramm, the police have told the media that they have seized two vehicles from the site. The police have also told the media that the injured are undergoing treatment at a Sasaram hospital and the probe by the police is underway.

Following clashes in Nalanda, the police have imposed prohibitory orders including the imposition of section 144. The police actions come in a bid to take control of the law and order situation in the district.

It was reported that the police have also arrested over 80 people in Nalanda. The District Magistrate of Nalanda, Shashank Shubhankar, held meetings with community leaders in an effort to maintain peace and order in the area.
The police force has also been increased in Nalanda and Rohtas and senior officials are visiting the affected areas. The authorities have also told the media that the authorities are keeping an eye out on social media to monitor if any provocative and false news is not being spread.

The clashes in Bihar’s Nalanda and Rohtas districts come after tensions prevailed in parts of the state from Thursday over taking out Ram Navami processions. The tensions further escalated into clashes on Friday and now spilled over to Saturday as well.

Addressing the situation in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that communal tensions during Ram Navami festivities at Sasaram and Bihar Sharif are disturbing and also added that such incidents happened are unprecedented in the area. He said the clashes are not natural.

Bihar CM also said that the police are trying to trace the perpetrators and affirmed that strict actions will be taken against them.

Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday arrested a man for allegedly killing his wife with an iron road during an argument. The man beat her wife to death after she raised objections over his drinking habits.

The accused, identified as Hemant, was a resident of Mahrajganj’s Ghughli area. According to the police, Hemant used to drink a lot and his wife, Pratibha, used to make a fuss over his alcoholic habit.

The reports state that the two had an argument on Friday night over the same issue during which Hemant beat her with an iron rod.

Pratibha was covered in blood and was rushed to the district hospital for treatment, however, doctors declared her brought dead.

The case is being probed by the Ghugli Police Station. The officials said that strict action will be taken against Pratibha’s husband.

A horrific incident also came to light two days ago from North Delhi when a 28-year-old man beat his sick wife to death over not doing household chores and refusing to cook for him.

The accused, Bajrangi Gupta, accused his wife of being lazy and disinterested in doing household chores and in a fit of anger, he killed his wife.

The incident happened when Gupta returned from work late at night and found that his wife had not cooked him anything. This angered him and he reportedly picked up a wooden stick and hit her until she collapsed on the floor.