In a clear case of deteriorating law and order situation in the State, unidentified assailants stormed into a house of the senior Congress leader, Shiv Daharia, and allegedly murdered his mother in cold blood while his father was battling for life in a private hospital here with multiple severe injuries.
The brutal attack at former Congress legislator Daharia’s house located some 15 km away from here at village Chhachhanpairi under Sejbahar Police Station area on Friday night left political fraternity in shock though police have out-rightly rejected rumours that the murder had linked to political enmity.
Top police officers said on the basis of preliminary investigation assailants had dragged out Daharia’s parents from their house and attacked them with sharp edged weapons.
“The attackers seemed to have motives of loot as household items were found strewn but it’s premature to make a comment on it as police are probing the case from all angles,” GP Singh, Inspector General of Police, said.
He added Congress leader’s mother Godavari Bai Daharia (72) was found dead and her husband Asharaam (77) was found writhing in pain for medical assistance when police first reached at the crime scene on Saturday morning. Asharaam has been admitted to a private hospital where his condition was stated to be very critical. Police have launched a massive operation to hunt down the killers but no breakthrough was reported at the time of filing this report.
The brutal killing has resulted in outrage among locals of Congress leader’s village and even in Congress leaders who alleged that law and order situation in the State was deteriorating day by day.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi telephoned to bereaved Shiv Daharia on Saturday and strongly condemned the attack and asserted that Congress party was solidly behind him in the time of this tragedy.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Raman Singh, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bhupesh Baghel and former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi rushed to the private hospital to inquire about the health of Asharaam.
Raman Singh while condemning the incident said that he had directed police officers to arrest the culprits soon and also to provide all possible medical care to Shiv Daharia’s father.