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Sharad Yadav, Paswan's brother injured in attacks by RJD workers

Union Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav and Janata Dal, United, MP Ramchandra Paswan were injured when Rashtriya Janata Dal activists attacked their helicopters at different places in north Bihar today.

While Yadav, the JD-U president, sustained injuries on his leg and hand, Paswan received minor wounds, police said.

Yadav's pilot was also injured and the windscreen of the craft was smashed.

This was the second attack on Yadav in north Bihar during electioneering. Earlier, he and Union Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar were attacked by RJD activists at Rupauli.

Yadav, who came to Madhepura to campaign for the National Democratic Alliance, said RJD activists attacked his chopper when it landed for refuelling near Madhepura stadium, where RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav was to address an election meeting.

Despite the presence of adequate security personnel in the stadium, no one intervened to prevent the RJD workers from pelting stones at the chopper, Yadav said.

He also alleged that the son of the RJD candidate from Madhepura assembly constituency joined hands with the police and incited the people to attack the helicopter.

Yadav, who was supposed to address a string of election meetings, cancelled them following the incident.

Paswan, younger brother of Union Communications Minister Ramvilas Paswan, was attacked in Ghanshyampur assembly constituency. Paswan, who could not address his election meeting there after the incident, alleged that a senior police officer personally led the attack.

Meanwhile, another Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, Chandramukhi Devi from Khagaria, was threatened by supporters of an independent candidate.

Later, the NDA charged Laloo Prasad with inciting his workers to attack opposition leaders in Bihar.

Addressing a press conference in the state capital Patna, NDA politicians demanded that the Madhepura district magistrate and police superintendent be transferred immediately in the wake of the attack on Sharad Yadav.

BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said a facsimile message had been sent to the Election Commission giving details of the incident and accused the police of being hand-in-glove with RJD workers.

The RJD candidate who provoked the people to attack Mr Yadav's chopper, was sitting in the vehicle of Police Superindent O P Khare, he added.

Giving details of the attack on Paswan, Modi alleged that a deputy superintendent of police himself asked the people to attack his chopper, when Paswan was about to alight to address an election meeting.

UNI

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