AIMIM Leader Shot Dead In Siwan; Return Of ‘Jungle Raj’ In Bihar, Says BJP

AIMIM district President Arif Jamal was gunned out by bike-borne gunmen on Saturday night. Jamal was rushed to a hospital but died during treatment.

Bihar News: A local leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in Bihar’s Siwan on Saturday night with opposition BJP citing the killing as evidence of the return of “jungle raj” (lawlessness) under the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led RJD-JDU-Congress Mahagathbandhan alliance.

Officials said AIMIM district President Arif Jamal was gunned out by bike-borne gunmen on Saturday night. Jamal was rushed to a hospital but died during treatment, they said.

Giving details, police said the incident took place on Saturday night when Jamal was at his shop. “Three assailants arrived on a bike and opened fire on Jamal. One bullet hit the victim in the stomach,” they said, adding that Jamal was rushed to Sadar Hospital but later shifted to a private hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

Zakir, an aide of Arif Jamal, who also accompanied him to the hospital said the incident occurred between 8:30 PM and 9 PM. “Jamal was at his shop under Hussainganj Police Station area when three assailants came on a bike and opened fire. One hit him in his stomach.”

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), AIMIM spokesperson, Aadil Hasan, demanded strict action against the assailants and informed that other party officials are also reaching at the spot.

Hasan’s post was also retweeted by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

‘Jungle Raj’ returns

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP tore into the Nitish Kumar government over the incident, claiming that ‘jungle raj’ returned to Bihar under the Mahagathbandhan alliance.

“When you have Lalu Yadav’s son Tejashwi as the Deputy Chief Minister and Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister, it is evident that ‘jungle raj’ has returned to Bihar. Criminals are everywhere,” BJP spokesperson Arvind Singh said in a scathing response to the AIMIM leader’s killing.

He said that when the BJP comes to power in the state, criminals will not be found at all.

‘Zero tolerance for crime’

Terming the incident as “deeply saddening”, RJD spokesman Ejaz Ahmed said the government has zero tolerance for crime and district administration was working to bring the perpetrators of the brutal shooting to justice at the earliest.

“Our government has zero tolerance for crime. The guilty won’t be spared and will be sent behind bars,” he said.

(With ANI inputs)