Days After Journalist Killing, Another Murder Witness Shot Dead In Bihar

Patna/New Delhi:

A 70-year-old man, the key witness in his son’s murder, was shot dead in Bihar yesterday while he was out on a morning walk, the police said.

Jawahar Chaudhary was shot dead by some masked men in Begusarai district yesterday, days ahead of his court appearance in his son’s murder case.

Mr Chaudhary’s son Neeraj was killed in 2021 allegedly by his second son over a property dispute.

The 70-year-old man was to testify in court against the accused – who is currently in jail – after a few days.

It is suspected his murder might be linked to the case, police sources said.

This is the second such incident in a week. Last week, a journalist was shot dead outside his house in Bihar’s Araria district ahead of his testimony in his brother’s killing.

Vimal Kumar Yadav worked as a local journalist for the ‘Dainik Jagran’ newspaper, police said. The gunmen knocked on his door and called his name at around 5:30 am, and shot him in the chest when he opened the door, they said.

Police have arrested four people in the case

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called it a dukhad (sad) incident and directed officials to investigate the crime. “How can a journalist be killed like this,” he told reporters in Patna.

Hitting out at the Bihar government, the BJP said the incident showed “democracy is in danger in Bihar”. “Criminals are roaming freely while innocent citizens, including journalists, and even police personnel are being killed in Bihar,” said state BJP president Samrat Choudhary.