Ara: A 48-year-old social activist was shot dead by armed miscreants at his house in Bhojpur district, apparently for campaigning against illicit drug sales in his village. The murder triggered protests on Saturday with locals blocking the Ara-Sasaram state highway for nearly five hours.Md Jafi was shot inside his kitchen at Islamganj locality of Garhani village under Charpokhari police station on Friday night. He succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in Ara on Saturday.According to his cousin Md Aman, Jafi had strongly opposed drug peddling at a village meeting organised by police and villagers on Wednesday.“During the meeting, Jafi had raised his voice strongly against drug peddling. On Friday night, armed men from the village barged into his house and shot him in the kitchen,” Aman said.An FIR was lodged against five named accused and several unidentified persons on the statement of Jafi’s mother, Aamna Khatoon. The accused are Salim Ansari alias Babloo, his son Md Arzoo, Md Waris alias Bittu, Md Danish and Abhishek Kumar.Villagers blocked the highway at Garhani bazaar from 7am to noon. Bhojpur Cyber DSP-cum-Ara Sadar SDPO in-charge Raushan Kumar and Jagdishpur SDPO Rahul Kumar reached the spot. The blockade was lifted after police assured protesters of arrests within 48 hours.Garhani SHO Kamaljeet said three empty cartridges and a magazine were recovered. “Further investigation is underway to identify and arrest the accused,” he said.
