Mohammed Yusuf, nephew of former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, was shot dead in Siwan, Bihar on the night of Friday, 1 February, reported ANI. He was reportedly shot in the chest.
Siwan police recovered a pistol during the raids conducted on Saturday at the residences of the four friends of Yusuf who were present with him at a party last night, reported ANI.
“He was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead. At the accident spot, we have found one empty gun and three bullets. We are now conducting the investigation at the places nearby the accident site.”Siwan Superintendent of Police (SP) Naveen Chandra Jha`to ANI
The Indian Express reported that while police are yet to determine the motive, Yusuf was shot at from close range and had been lying on the side of the road for nearly an hour after being shot.
Yusuf was a resident of Pratappur village and ran a cafe in Siwan. He was taken to Sadar hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. He is said to be very close to convicted and jailed MP’s son Osama and was also involved in the property business.
“The first priority of the police was to maintain law and order. There had been immediate protests after Yusuf’s killing. Extra police forces have been deployed at Siwan town, ” Siwan SP Navin Chandra Jha told TIE.
Yusuf was said to be close to his cousin Mohammad Osama, Shahabuddin’s son.
The former MP is currently lodged in Tihar jail in Delhi. Shahabuddin and three others were sentenced to life imprisonment by Additional District Judge of Siwan Special Court Ajay Kumar Srivastava in 2015.
Hindustan Times reported that a Bihar court recently framed charges against Shahabuddin and seven others in connection with another case, the murder of journalist Rajdev Ranjan. The journalist was killed in 2016 in Siwan.
Shahabuddin is considered close to RJD president Lalu Prasad. Shahabuddin was elected to the Lok Sabha four times as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Siwan constituency.
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