Massive Violence during the last Rites of Brahmeshwar Mukhiya

Violence erupted as thousands  people  joined the funeral procession of Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh  alias Mukhiyaji, who was killed a day earlier at Ara in Bihar.

Funeral of Brahmeshwar Singh Mukhiya

As the procession entered Patna for the cremation, Singh’s supporters set afire a police outpost, and attacked police personnel and mediapersons, said the police.

They also attacked state Bharatiya Janata Party president C.P. Thakur and damaged his vehicle, a police official said.

Brahmeshwar Singh, in his 70s, was killed Friday morning in Ara town in Bhojpur district, triggering violence by supporters of Ranvir Sena, an outlawed upper caste vigilante group.

The procession began from Ara, about 60 km from here.

Hundreds of people on motorcycles carrying bamboo sticks and iron rods targeted vehicles in Bihta and Danapur near Patna before entering the city, said a police official.

As the procession entered Patna, they indulged in arson, said the official.

“The supporters pelted stones at vehicles of top police officials and also damaged vehicles of mediapersons,” said the official.

Funeral of Brahmeshwar Singh Mukhiya

Police said the supporters also chased away rebel Janata Dal-United MP Lalan Singh, former union minister Akhilesh Singh, BJP legislators Anil Kumar Sharma and Usha Vidayarthi when they came to take part in the funeral procession.

Hundreds of vehicles formed part of the three-kilometre long convey.  As they walked, Singh’s supporters shouted slogans against the Bihar government and demanded death to the killers.

Police said the supporters were pouring into Patna from Gaya, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Arwal, Bhojpur and Patna districts.

Elaborate security has been made in Patna to ensure peace, police said.

Deputy Inspector General Sunil Kumar said the Rapid Action Force, the Central Reserve Police Force and the Bihar Military Police have been deployed along the funeral route.

After Singh was killed Friday, his supporters attacked police vehicles and government offices in Ara.

The circuit house in the town was set on fire and nearly a dozen other vehicles, including a bus, were torched.