Union Minister's Convoy Attacked In Bihar On Voting Day, Shots Fired

Union minister and BJP candidate from Bihar's Patliputra, Ram Kripal Yadav, had a narrow escape last night when his convoy was attacked and gunshots fired. Mr Yadav was in Masaurhi area of Patliputra parliamentary constituency when the incident took place.

Mr Yadav, once a close aide of RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav, is now with BJP and has been winning Pataliputra seat since 2014. This time, he is up against Lalu Yadav's daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti. Ms Bharti lost to Mr Yadav in the last two general elections. 

The Pataliputra seat went to polls in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha election yesterday. According to reports, local RJD MLA Rekha Paswan visited a polling booth yesterday and an altercation took place between her aides and villagers.

When Mr Yadav came to know about this, he rushed to the polling booth and spoke to the villagers. He was on his way back when his convoy was attacked. Mr Yadav managed to escape, but some of his supporters were beaten up. The minister's supporters later blocked the road and staged a protest. Traffic movement resumed only after police assured swift action and urged them to clear the road.

Heavy force has been deployed on the spot and the police are conducting raids to nab the accused.

"We received information that on the Patna-Jehanabad road, the convoy of (BJP MP and minister) Ram Kripal Yadav was attacked and a party worker injured in the incident. A written complaint was filed and we are investigating the matter...," Patna East Superintendent of Police Bharat Soni has said.