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Shattered car window pieces spread across a 500-metre radius in the Badluchak area of Bhador near Mokama bear testimony to the violence that killed one and polarised the upcoming Bihar elections sharply in these parts. Dularchand Yadav was shot and run over in this area two days ago. The autopsy report says Yadav died due to a ruptured lung and multiple rib fractures. Cardiopulmonary failure with blunt injury to the chest and head has been mentioned as the cause of death, meaning severe trauma led to cardiac and respiratory failure. Old rivalries awakened Dularchand Yadav was seen to be a Bahubali in the Taal (riverine) area where he was killed. Campaigning for the Jan Suraaj Party candidate Piyush Priyaradshi, Yadav’s vehicle allegedly came face-to-face with the convoy of JD(U) candidate Anant Singh. As per the FIR lodged by Yadav’s grandson, he was shot in the leg, hit with rods, and run over by Anant and his men. Police have registered 4 FIRs in the case pertaining to murder, stone pelting, arson, and a counter FIR from Anant Singh against his RJD rival Surajbhan Singh. Both Anant and Surajbhan are known as “Bahubalis” in this area. Surajbhan and Anant both have been at loggerheads over control of Mokama. Suraj Bhan’s wife, Veena Devi, is the RJD candidate taking on Anant. “Chhote Sarkar”, as Anant is called in these parts, claims Surajbhan conspired to implicate him in Dularchand’s death for political gains. Fear and election boycott threat Police have detained more than 60 people, but no arrest in the murder case has been made so far. It is this alleged inaction that is threatening to derail the polls in these parts. “Forensic teams on the ground are picking up evidence. Multiple witnesses are being spoken to,” DIG Jayant Kant told CNN-News 18. But at Dularchand’s village, Tartar, there is anger against the administration. “Jisne maara usko suraksha dekar campaign karwa rahe hain. Mere pariwar ke 5 log maar diye hai ab tak Anant Singh ne aur police- prashasan kuch nahi kar rahi (They are giving security and letting the person who killed campaign. Anant Singh has killed five members of my family so far, and the police and administration are doing nothing,” a weeping grandnephew of Dularchand Yadav tells CNN-News18 at his village home. Outside the house, residents declare they will not vote until justice is done. “If a Yadav had been killed in this fashion, immediate cries of Jungle Raj would have echoed. But Bhumiar Anant Singh is carrying on with his election campaign, and the police are doing nothing,” Suraj Yadav of Tartar village said. A crowd gathered outside Dularchand’s house gheraoed the police and paramilitary deployed, and demanded protection. “We are all scared. People are being abducted if they say anything on camera. Police and media presence is endangering our lives more,” a resident who claimed to be an eyewitness told CNN-News18. He refused to reveal his name but claimed he saw Dularchand getting shot, pulled out of the vehicle, thrashed, and then run over. Polarised voters In Mokama town, Anant Singh supporters from the Bhumiar community rejected the charge. “Dularchand was no saint. Multiple cases of loot, abduction, and killing exist against him. He was an old man who may have been run over in the chaos. This is not a case of murder, “Sanjay Sharma said. Bhumiars (65,000), Yadavs (40,000), and Dhanuks (45,000) are the dominant castes in Mokama. Piyush Priyadarshi comes from the Dhanuk caste. He was hopeful of getting an RJD ticket before Veena Devi’s name was announced. After Dularchand’s killing, the sharp polarisation of Yadav votes could make caste the deciding factor not just in Mokama but adjoining seats too.
