Four Bihar cops suspended after fast food seller's abduction, murder

Patna, Jul 14 (PTI) Four police personnel were suspended on Tuesday for dereliction of duty, days after the abduction and killing of a fast food seller here, officials said. Bunty Yadav (25) was abducted by unidentified people on July 6, and his body was found five days later in the Athmalgola locality of Patna district. According to police, the incident was likely the fallout of a dispute between the victim and the accused, even though opposition leaders in the state claimed that Bunty Yadav was killed for opposing a sex racket. Patna SP (Central) Mamta Kalyani said five people, including three prime accused, have been arrested in connection with the incident. On Tuesday, Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikeya K Sharma said three assistant sub-inspectors and a home guard have been suspended by the Patna (Central) SP for dereliction of duty. The incident has led to intense political bickering in the state ahead of the high-profile bypoll to the Bankipur assembly seat. Bihar minister and BJP leader Ramkripal Yadav, who met the family members of Yadav on Tuesday, criticised the role of police in the state. "The passivity of the police is tragic. They failed to lodge an FIR due to jurisdiction issues. They should have at least filed a zero FIR and then transferred the case," he said, but lauded the police administration for suspending the erring personnel. "The government has zero tolerance towards crime. The guilty won't be spared," he added. Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday claimed that Bunty Yadav was "killed for opposing a sex racket" allegedly operating under the "patronage of those in power". "Why does the chief minister... fear the liquor mafia and those running sex rackets? What collusion do the people at the top of the power structure have with these flesh traders that they are expending all their energy to protect them?" he wrote on X. Independent MP Pappu Yadav also met family members of the deceased on Tuesday and demanded Rs 1 crore compensation and a government job for Bunty Yadav's kin. Alleging that Bunty Yadav was killed by those operating a sex racket, he demanded speedy trial and strict punishment for the guilty in the case. PTI SUK NSD