A 42-year-old mini-truck driver was allegedly beheaded by a roadside vendor and then beaten to death by locals in Bihar’s Araria district on Thursday, prompting the deployment of more police forces as the incident involved people from different communities, senior officers said.
According to Jitendra Kumar, superintendent of police of Araria district, headquartered in Forbesganj, the incident occurred in the morning when Nabi Hussain, who was driving a mini car, had an argument with Ravi Chauhan (30).
“Chouhan was selling sattu (roasted chickpea flour) in the local market when he got into an altercation with Hussain and attacked him with a dagger, which the police seized,” the SP said.
Police said Chouhan left Hussain’s headless body on the road and fled.
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Police forces were placed on high alert
“The onlookers grabbed Chouhan and beat him until he was rescued by a group of police, who rushed to the spot on hearing about the incident. Chouhan was taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” the SP said.
The bodies of the deceased were sent for autopsy. “Further investigations are underway,” the senior officer added.
Sub-district police officer (SDPO), Mukesh Kumar Saha, said police had launched an investigation into the incident from “multiple angles, including a parking dispute”.
Saha added that police forces have been put on high alert and additional personnel have been deployed to avert further violence.
Another police officer, who requested anonymity, said: “Since the incident involves two different communities, the matter is serious.”
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A dispute between two people because of an affair
The officer, quoting local residents, said that there was a dispute between Chauhan and Hussain over an affair, and the seller killed the driver in a fit of rage.
Meanwhile, images of Hussein’s severed head lying on the road, taken by onlookers on their phones, were widely circulated on social media.
Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, shared an alleged photo of the incident on X and criticized the state government for the “horrific situation” in Bihar and termed the NDA’s rule a “corrupt regime”.
The leader of the Rally for Justice and Development Party claimed that “a man cut the throat of another man in public in the middle of the market and walked around with his severed head among hundreds of people. Later, the family of the deceased also killed the killer.” “This incident shows the deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar. While the ruling coalition leaders are busy in a game of musical chairs for the chief minister’s seat, incidents of looting, murder and rape are increasing every day in Bihar.”
