Patna: The Bihar government has strengthened the security of Vijay Kumar Sinha, BJP MLA from Lakhisarai and the state’s deputy chief minister, following an incident during the assembly elections in which his vehicle was targeted at a polling booth.
Sinha, who was attacked and had cow dung thrown at his car while visiting a polling station, will now travel in a bulletproof Fortuner provided by the state government. The episode caused a political uproar, prompting a reassessment of his security cover.
Sinha had earlier complained that his previous official vehicle was in poor condition and prone to frequent breakdowns. After his re-election, the government replaced it with a bulletproof model as part of an upgraded security arrangement.
He had also accused police officers and security personnel present at the polling site in Lakhisarai of negligence during the attack. The government has since made changes to his security staff in addition to providing the new vehicle.
Sinha, who returned to the assembly with a sizeable victory, now moves with heightened protection as authorities respond to concerns arising from the election-day incident.
