Bihar journalist threatened, Opposition blames Nitish Kumar

A week after senior journalist Rajdeo Ranjan was brutally murdered in Siwan, another scribe lodged a complaint with the police that his life was in danger.

Nalanda-based senior journalist Rajesh Kumar Singh was allegedly threatened on Thursday by four unidentified men claiming to be close associates of JD(U) MLC Hira Bind.

According to Mr Singh, around four youth had reached his office to enquire about the reporter who had filed a story against those involved in threatening voters in the recently-held panchayat elections in Nalanda, which is the home district of chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Mr Singh said that when he informed them that it he who wrote that story, they threatened him and abused him. He said, “They openly threatened me that I will also meet the same fate as Rajdeo Ranjan of Siwan if I don’t apologise to JD(U) MLC Hira Bind for writing that story.”

Meanwhile, the police on Friday registered an FIR against Mr Bind and four others and assured of appropriate action against those involved in threatening Mr Singh.

The incident has once again sparked a political row, with the Opposition stepping up attacks against the ruling Grand Secular Alliance for the deteriorating law and order system in Bihar.

The BJP says that more than a dozen legislators are facing charges related to crimes which are heinous in nature. Referring to incidents in which legislators were involved, Union minister Giriraj Singh said: “In every incident which has occurred in the last few month, legislators belonging to the ruling party were found involved in it directly or directly. There is complete lawlessness in Bihar and now even journalists are not safe.”

He said, “A kid was killed by a JD(U) MLC’s son and then a journalist was killed and then again another journalist was threatened by a JD(U) MLC and that too in the CM’s home district.”

According to BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, more than a dozen legislators from the ruling alliance are facing charges related to heinous crimes.