Patna: Bihar Police on Tuesday arrested the prime accused in the brutal murder of a final year undergraduate student of BN College on the law college campus of Patna University. The arrested accused has been identified as Chandan Kumar, a final-year student of the Patna college and a resident of Bihta in the city. Harsh Raj (22), a final year undergraduate student, was beaten to death by some unidentified persons on the law college campus of Patna University on Monday.

Police claimed that Kumar, who was residing in Jackson hostel of the college, hatched a conspiracy to kill Raj.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Patna, Rajeev Mishra told PTI, "Chandan Kumar is the prime accused in the case. He is being interrogated." The incident had taken place when the 22-year-old student was coming out from his examination centre in the afternoon. He had gone to appear for his graduation examination and was beaten up by a group of students. He was injured. The police took him to the hospital, where he died.

According to a statement issued by the Patna Police, "During interrogation, Kumar confessed to have committed the crime. He has also revealed the identity of other accused involved in the case".

"Prima facie it appears that the incident may have taken place because of some old enmity. However, the exact cause of the incident can only be known after completion of the investigation", said a senior officer of the Patna Police.

Police have launched a manhunt to nab other accused.

Certain groups of students staged protest marches in different places in the city as well as outside Patna University against the killing. Protesting students also tried to block the traffic by burning tyres at the Kargil Chowk.

Meanwhile, the murder of the student has sparked a political slugfest between the opposition RJD and the ruling NDA government in the state.

RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav told reporters: "The incident is highly condemnable. This is the real jungalraj when a student is brutally murdered inside the college campus. What happened to BJP leaders? why are they maintaining a stoic silence? Why are they not protesting against this incident?" The law and order situation in the state has been deteriorating ever since the NDA government came to power in Bihar, he alleged.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said, "It is a very tragic incident. I am in touch with the senior officials of the administration and all accused will be nabbed very soon. We will ensure strictest punishment for the accused".

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