Patna, Apr 5 (IANS): The Bihar government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is facing the heat over the Madhubani massacre with Rajput leaders of the ruling JD-U opening up a front against the Bihar police.
Rajput leaders such as former minister Jay Kumar Singh, Sailendra Pratap Singh, Rana Randhir Singh and former MLA Manjeet Singh met Nitish Kumar on Monday and discussed the situation in Mohamadpur village under the Benipatti police station in Madhubani district.
On the day of Holi on March 29, around 35 armed men had opened fired on the family of Ranvijay Singh over a land dispute in Mohamadpur. In the brutal attack, Ranvijay Singh and his cousin brother Virendra Singh were killed on the spot. Three other family members -- Rana Pratap Singh, Amrendra Singh and Rudra narayan Singh -- succumbed to their injuries a day later. Another injured person, Manoj Singh, is currently admitted to the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital.
Madhubani SP Satya Prakash has claimed that 11 persons have been arrested in connection with the case, but the main accused, Praveen Jha, is still at large.
The JD-U leaders had earlier met the victim's family on Sunday and demanded death penalty for the perpetrators.
"The Chief Minister has talked to DGP SK Singhal and directed him for stringent action against the perpetrators," Jay Kumar Singh said.
Earlier, Neeraj Kumar Bablu, a cabinet minister in Nitish Kumar government, had met the victims' family. Another JD-U leader, Sanjay Singh, has also criticised the Bihar Police for their failure to prevent the massacre in Madhubani.
Bhojpuri actor Pawan Singh, a Rajput, has also expressed his anguish over the mass killing in Madhubani.
"I condemn the brutal act of the perpetrators and I will soon visit Madhubani to meet the family members of the deceased persons," Singh said.
He further said that the state government should take stringent action against the perpetrators so that such an act doesn't get repeated in future.
Earlier, the Karni Sena had announced a reward of Rs 5 crore for beheading the accused persons and raised slogans against the ruling dispensation and Bihar police.