RJD leader close to Mohammad Shahabuddin shot dead

Tension gripped Bihar's Siwan district after a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, said to be close to jailed don-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, was shot dead by unidentified assailants, early on Saturday morning.

The incident took place at Sheikhpura village under Basantpur police station in Siwan. "Minhaj Khan was in his bed on the interceding night of Friday and Saturday, when the criminals attacked his house at around 3 am and pumped five bullets into Khan's head point-blank. Hearing gun shots, his family members rushed to his room but only to see him dead," a Bihar police officer told DNA.

Police said Khan's family suspects the involvement of a local criminal, Raju, and his gang members behind the murder. "Prima facie, this looks like personal enmity, but we are probing all angles," a local police officer said. Some ammunition, including carbine, live bombs and petrol were also recovered from near Khan's house.

A source said Khan was a popular leader in the area and a number of angry villagers gathered near his house after the news of his death broke. Senior police officers camped in the area for hours to keep the situation under control.

Khan was a district-level functionary of the RJD's youth wing, and is believed to be close to Shahabuddin, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. His murder comes two days after his party was ousted from power and the BJP-JD(U) combine took over, promising development, improved law and order, and good governance.