MLA shot dead in Bihar, jolt for Laloo

PATNA, APRIL 14: Prominent trade unionist and Marxist Coordination Committee (MCC) legislator Gurudas Chatterjee was shot dead at point-bl...

PATNA, APRIL 14: Prominent trade unionist and Marxist Coordination Committee (MCC) legislator Gurudas Chatterjee was shot dead at point-blank range by an unidentified man near Deoli village in Dhanbad today around 3 pm while on the way to his residence.

According to the office secretary of the MCC, Chatterjee was returning to his Nirsa residence on a motorcycle after addressing a rally at Dhanbad when a person riding a motorcycle shot him from behind. The assailant pumped nine bullets into the MLA’s head who died on the spot.

The incident comes within two days of the murder of former Congress MP Bijoy Soy and will turn the heat on Laloo Prasad Yadav. His promises to maintain law and order have once again proved to be hollow and the month-old Rabri Devi Government has witnessed a number of ghastly killings.

This is the fifth killing of a legislator in Bihar in the past two years. Earlier, CPM leader Ajit Sarkar and later Brij Bihari were killed. Devendra Dubey was killed two years back. The CBI is inquiring into the killing of Sarkar but so far nothing tangible has emerged.

Chatterjee has been representing the Nirsa constituency for five terms and was a popular trade union leader. He has been living with a threat to his life ever since he launched a campaign against the mafia and theft of coal . The issue had been raised in the Bihar Assembly.

Dhanbad has earned the dubious distinction for political as well trade union killings but it’s after a long time that a legislator has been killed. Sources say the killing was masterminded by the coal mafia which enjoys the support of the ruling party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal. Incidentally, MCC has been extending support to the Rabri Devi government and had even voted in her favour on the confidence motion.