D.I. News service, Tuesday, 28 October 2008:
A gun-wielding youth from Bihar was killed by the Mumbai police after he fired indiscriminately and threatened passengers on a state transport bus in the Kurla suburbs this morning.
The incident quickly assumed political dimensions, with leaders from Bihar rushing to meet Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to demand a probe into the incident, and the Centre’s intervention to stop violence against north Indians in Maharashtra.
The bizarre incident occurred at around 9:30 a.m. aboard a BEST double-decker plying on the 332 Andheri-Kurla route. The youth, identified as Rahul Raj, hailing from Patna, swiped out a country-made revolver and threatened the conductor with it after he was asked to buy a ticket, witnesses said.
Cornered in the Bail Bazaar area, the youth fired indiscriminately inside the bus, which injured passenger Manoj Bhagat, police said. Police responded with retaliatory firing in which Rahul was killed. He was pronounced dead by the local Rajawadi Hospital at Ghatkopar. The wounded Bhagat was admitted to the same hospital with serious injuries.
Passengers told police that the youth was shouting “Jai Bihar, Jai Patna”, and hurling abuse at Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Mr Raj Thackeray. Police said they suspected that the gunman was trying to take the bus passengers hostage and “this is being verified”. Maharashtra home minister Mr RR Patil backed the police action saying they have done their duty correctly.
Following today’s incident, the state government restored ‘Z’ class security for the MNS chief which had been withdrawn after his arrest last week.
In New Delhi, putting aside their traditional rivalry, top Bihar leaders Mr Lalu Prasad and Mr Ram Vilas Paswan joined Bihar chief minister Mr Nitish Kumar and Congress leader Ms Meira Kumar in meeting Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to demand an immediate ban on the MNS, the arrest of Raj Thackeray for instigating violence and a judicial probe into today’s shoot-out. They told reporters afterwards that the PM “shared our concern” over what was happening in Maharashtra and that he would consider their demand for an all-party meeting on the issue. The PM later called up Maharashtra chief minister Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh and asked him to ensure security of all sections of the society
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