Gaya: Magadh range IG Vikas Vaibhav has sought a report from Gaya SSP Sushil Kumar over the alleged misuse of a govt bodyguard assigned to Belaganj JD(U) MLA Manorama Devi.The move comes after allegations that one of the four bodyguards deputed for the MLA’s security, Satyendra Kumar, accompanied her son, Vineet Yadav, to Chatra on Tuesday, where a shootout took place near the official residence of the Chatra SP.In the incident, Atul Singh of Buxar, a private bodyguard employed by Yadav’s construction company, was allegedly shot dead by another private guard, Balveer Singh (37) of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, following a dispute reportedly over khaini (chewing tobacco) inside a vehicle.Police said Vineet Yadav was not present in the vehicle when the shooting occurred. He had reportedly visited Chatra to meet the district SP and seek security after receiving alleged extortion demands and death threats from persons claiming to be Maoists. His company, Ramiya Construction Pvt Ltd, is executing the Rs 150-crore Chatra bypass project.A complaint regarding the alleged extortion calls and WhatsApp messages was lodged at Rampur police station in Gaya on July 19. “If it is found that the government bodyguard was accompanying Vineet Yadav, departmental action will be initiated,” IG Vaibhav said.He added that Gaya Police, in coordination with Chatra Police, is verifying whether the MLA’s bodyguard accompanied Yadav. Investigators are also probing the alleged Maoist extortion threats received by the construction company owner.Meanwhile, Chatra Police are examining the case from multiple angles. Chatra SDPO Sunny Vardhan said Balveer Singh has a criminal record. A former CISF jawan, he was named in a 2017 case registered at Narari Kala Khurd police station for allegedly killing four fellow security personnel at Nabinagar.Vardhan said the accused also failed to produce valid documents for the “Made in Italy” firearm he was carrying. Police have seized the loaded weapon. “The circumstances under which the MLA’s bodyguard accompanied her son to Chatra are also under investigation. We are also verifying whether proper police verification was conducted before Balveer Singh was hired as a private bodyguard,” the SDPO said.
