The small town of Mokama in Bihar has been gripped by a wave of shock and anger following the post-mortem revelations in the killing of political activist Dularchand Yadav. The report uncovers disturbing details: a bullet wound in his heel, multiple broken ribs, and evidence that a heavy load was pressed on his chest, leading to failure of the heart and lungs. The findings have cast a harsh light on the worsening law-and-order situation in the heat of election fever.
Yadav, a campaigner for a Jan Suraj party, was attacked in the Pandarak block under Bhadour police station’s jurisdiction. Eyewitnesses had described the incident as brutal gunfire followed by the vehicle mounting the victim. Now the medical report has confirmed that his heel was pierced by a bullet that passed through, and his ribs were fractured in what investigators believe to be a calculated act of violence. The pressure on his chest appears to have been deliberate, indicating this was not a random violent flash-point, but a targeted assassination.
Police officials say the investigation is moving fast. A fourth First Information Report (FIR) has been registered, dozens of suspects are in custody, and units from several police stations are combing the area. In a move underlining failure at the ground level, the officers-in-charge of the Bhadour and Ghoswari police stations have been suspended. Additional forces have been deployed in the constituency, and candidates have been provided extra security detail as the campaign proceeds under a shadow.
Across households in Mokama, a quiet fear
In the coming days, all eyes in Bihar will watch this case not just for justice, but for what it signals about the state of elections in the region. If this killing says anything, it is that the value of vote is matched only by the value of safety in casting it.
