Bihar’s Mokama On Edge As Clashes Erupt During Jan Suraaj Supporter Dularchand Yadav’s Funeral

Patna: Tension gripped Bihar’s Mokama and surrounding areas on Friday as supporters of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Jan Suraaj clashed with police during the funeral procession of Dularchand Yadav, whose killing has triggered political outrage and fresh demands for a judicial probe.

The violence erupted between Pandarak and Barh when hundreds of mourners, carrying Yadav’s body, confronted police forces deployed in large numbers. Eyewitnesses said a section of the crowd turned unruly, leading to stone pelting and a scuffle with security personnel. Several vehicles in the procession were vandalised and some people were seen wielding sticks and hurling abuses.

Police said cases have been registered from both sides at the he Pandarak police station. The administration faced severe challenges in conducting the post-mortem amid the chaos, with the situation in the area described as “extremely tense”.

Viral Video Fuels Political Tension

A video that surfaced on social media on Friday added a dramatic twist to the case. The footage allegedly shows Dularchand Yadav throwing stones moments before he was attacked, a clip that has since gone viral, deepening speculation over what led to the fatal shooting.

Yadav’s family, however, has filed an FIR naming JDU candidate and Mokama strongman Anant Singh and his close associates as the key accused. The complaint alleges that Yadav was dragged out of his car, shot multiple times and then run over by a vehicle.

Several political leaders, including those from the Opposition, have demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing, calling it another example of Bihar’s deep-rooted culture of political violence.

Prashant Kishor Slams ‘Jungle Raj’, Demands Accountability

Reacting sharply to the incident, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor condemned the murder and blamed the Nitish Kumar-led administration for failing to maintain law and order.

“This reflects the persistence of the ‘jungle raj’ people have long spoken of,” Kishor told ANI. “Violence has no place in democracy. The administration is responsible for this failure,” he added.

Kishor clarified that Dularchand Yadav was not an official member of Jan Suraaj but was supporting the outfit’s Mokama candidate, Priyadarshi Piyush. He urged voters to reject candidates with criminal backgrounds, saying, “Strongmen aren’t afraid to fight strongmen. They are afraid to fight good people. Jan Suraaj has given Bihar that choice.”

Police Begin Probe, Situation On Edge

According to Barh SDPO Abhishek Singh, the clash that led to Yadav’s death occurred when convoys of two rival parties crossed paths and an argument escalated into gunfire.

“An FIR has been lodged, forensic team has been informed and a proper investigation will follow,” Singh said.

Mokama, synonymous with the muscle power of Bihar politics, remains on edge ahead of the first phase of the Assembly elections scheduled for November 6. The constituency has historically been dominated by “bahubalis” (strongmen), including Anant Singh and Surajbhan Singh.

This year, the JDU has fielded Anant Singh, while the RJD has nominated Veena Devi, wife of former MP Surajbhan Singh, setting up a fierce electoral face-off between two influential political legacies from the Bhumihaar community.

With Friday’s violence and emerging videos further clouding the investigation, Mokama’s political battleground has once again turned into a test of Bihar’s fragile law-and-order machinery.

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