Patna: The murder of Dularchand Yadav — a once-powerful figure of Mokama taluka and a close associate of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav — has reignited political fault lines in the region just days before the Assembly elections. His cremation at Umanath Ghat in Barh late Friday night, nearly 29 hours after his death, drew thousands of supporters and heavy police deployment, turning the funeral into a show of strength and anger.
Dularchand, who was campaigning at the time, was killed on October 30. While police sources initially suggested he might have been hit by a vehicle, his family and close associates allege he was surrounded and shot dead in a politically motivated attack.
Funeral Turns into Political Flashpoint
On Friday morning, hundreds of vehicles and thousands of supporters joined Dularchand’s funeral procession from his ancestral home in Tartar village under Ghoswari police station limits. Chanting slogans like “Long live Dularchand Yadav” and “Down with the police administration,” the crowd moved through several areas of Barh with anger and grief.
Shops remained shut along the route, and security was tightened as paramilitary and Bihar Police personnel were deployed to prevent violence. The seven-hour-long procession ended at the Barh Sub-Divisional Hospital, where the postmortem was conducted amid clashes between police and supporters.
His son, Ranjit Yadav, performed the last rites at Umanath Ghat around 9:30 p.m. on Friday.
Conflicting Theories on Cause of Death
Dr. Ajay Kumar, a member of the postmortem team, stated that while a bullet had grazed Dularchand’s ankle, it was not fatal. “He suffered multiple injuries consistent with being crushed by a vehicle. The cause of death was trauma, not gunshot wounds. The final report will be submitted to the government,” he said.
Dularchand’s son-in-law, Valmiki Prasad Yadav, who witnessed the postmortem, alleged that he was deliberately run over. “His body was crushed twice. All his ribs and limbs were broken. If the vehicle hadn’t gone over him, he could have survived,” he said.
Family and Supporters Allege Political Conspiracy
Family members and supporters have accused Mokama’s strongman Anant Singh of orchestrating the attack. Dularchand’s nephew, Sudhir Kumar, claimed his uncle’s growing influence had unsettled Singh’s political base. “He was supporting Jan Suraaj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi instead of RJD’s Veena Devi, wife of Suraj Bhan Singh. That’s why he was targeted,” he said.
Karnveer Singh Yadav, alias Lallu Mukhiya, RJD candidate from Barh and a close aide of Dularchand, called the killing “a political assassination meant to instill fear among backward communities.” He alleged, “Anant Singh wanted to scare voters who were shifting away from him. Despite evidence and FIRs, not a single major arrest has been made.”
He further claimed that a senior minister could be shielding those involved.
Videos and Police Investigation
A six-second video circulating on social media shows Anant Singh’s nephew, Karanveer, near an Innova allegedly linked to the incident. Another clip shows Dularchand and Jan Suraaj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi riding in the same vehicle hours before the attack. A separate video also surfaced showing Dularchand throwing stones moments before the violence erupted.
Patna Rural SP Vikram Sihag confirmed that three FIRs have been registered — one by Dularchand’s supporters, one by Anant Singh’s camp, and another by police. “The deceased’s grandson has named five people, including Anant Singh, as accused. Two arrests have been made so far, and raids are ongoing,” Sihag said.
Tense Political Atmosphere Ahead of Polls
The murder has deepened the long-standing rivalry between Suraj Bhan Singh and Anant Singh, two dominant figures in Mokama politics since the 1990s. Locals fear the killing could polarize voters and reignite old feuds in the region.
During the funeral, Dularchand’s grandson Deepak Yadav demanded an encounter killing of Anant Singh. “He keeps getting released despite serious charges. How can he move around with 40 vehicles during elections?” he questioned.
As investigations continue, key questions remain unanswered — who killed Dularchand Yadav, what was the exact motive, and whether the killing was part of a larger political conspiracy that could alter the course of Mokama’s electoral battle.
