JD(U) Org. Secretary Arun Kushwaha, wife, son, accused in dowry death case

Dr K K Kaushik

Muzaffarpur : The murder of Reena, daughter of Mahesh Bhagat of village Beluka in Muzaffarpur district, allegedly by her in-laws recently for a car and more cash is a major setback to the JD(U) in the district as she was the daughter- in- law of state Organisation Secretary of the party Arun Kushwaha. Rina’s father Mahesh Bhagat has lodged an FIR with Karja police station in the district charging Arun Kushwaha, his wife Asha Devi, Rina’s husband Dipak Kumar, and Sandip Kumar with killing his daughter for dowry. Police have started investigation into the death of Reena and conducting raids to arrest the accused.

Bihar JD(U) chief Bashishta Narain Singh has also constituted a committee to inquire into the matter at party level, according to Muzaffarpur District JD(U) Chief Hari Om. He said that if the allegations against Arun Kushwaha were found true he would be expelled from the party. It may be recalled here that the JD(U) national president and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had on October 2, 2017, launched a statewide campaign against child marriage and dowry.

Reena was married to Dipak Kumar in 2015 and she also had a child. Mahesh Bhagat, in his FIR, has alleged that ever since her marriage her in-laws were putting pressure on her to bring more cash and car from her parents. This often led quarrel between Reena and her in-laws, he alleged adding that when she started opposing their dowry demand the accused killed her and disposed of the body to remove evidence.