Patna: Bihar’s chief minister, Samrat Choudhary, has expressed grief over the fatal shooting of a migrant worker from Khagaria district in Delhi, calling the incident “extremely tragic” and announcing financial assistance for the victim’s family.
The shooting took place in the Dwarka area of the capital, under the jurisdiction of the Jafarpur Kalan police station, where a Delhi Police constable allegedly opened fire on two young men from Bihar. One of them died, while the other remains in a critical condition.
Choudhary said the state government would provide Rs 4 lakh from the labour resources department, along with an additional Rs 4 lakh from the chief minister’s relief fund, taking the total compensation to Rs 8 lakh for the bereaved family. He also extended his condolences and said he hoped the family would find strength in their grief.
The incident has triggered sharp political reactions in Bihar and beyond. Pappu Yadav, the Lok Sabha MP from Purnia, met those affected in Delhi and criticised what he described as a deteriorating law and order situation in the national capital.
Rajneesh Kumar, Delhi state president of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), condemned the shooting, calling it shocking and raising questions about police conduct.
Opposition leaders have seized on the incident, pointing to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s presence in power in both Bihar and Delhi. Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the opposition in Bihar, demanded accountability and criticised the handling of the case.
The controversy deepened after remarks by Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who, speaking to reporters in Patna, appeared to downplay the killing. He said an investigation would determine whether the victim was innocent and that action would follow if wrongdoing was established.
His comments drew strong criticism from Tejashwi Yadav, who said the minister should apologise for what he described as an insensitive statement.
The Delhi Police have not yet issued a detailed public account of the circumstances leading to the shooting, and an investigation is understood to be under way.
