Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara: Tension prevails in and around village Khwaspur under Barahara police station in Bhojpur district after rival groups clashed and exchanged fire on late Sunday evening. Senior officials of the district rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
Barahara is dominated by Rajput’ community but in the 2015 assembly polls RJD candidate Saroj Yadav won the election and since then the area has remained disturbed and embroiled in caste war. Khwaspur has population of 10,000 people of which 1,000 are rajputs. Sunita Devi of rajput community is contesting panchayat election for the post of mukhia which created ripple amongst yadav community. On poll day on Sunday, some people allegedly enjoying political patronage beat up villagers of the rival community. They also fired in the air. The rival group also retaliated in the same manner. The Yadavs alleged the rival group tried to capture booths in the favour of Sunita Devi and when they objected, they were abused and thrashed.
The police arrested husband of Sunita Devi. Her supporters alleged that the police arrested him at the behest of some senior RJD leaders. The police, however, claimed her husband was creating nuisance during poll and so arrested.