Bihar man beheading row: BJP leaders counter Sushil Modi's statement, claim murder was over naming Narendra Modi chowk

A day after Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi tried to link Bihar's Darbhanga beheading case to a land dispute, senior BJP leaders Giriraj Singh and Nityanand Rai said that the murder of the 60-year-old was over naming a square after Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The dispute that escalated (and led to the murder) had started due to this chowk being named Modi Chowk," Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai was quoted at Darbhanga on Saturday.

Reiterating similar views, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, "I was aware that a certain community, a party has been trying to inject poison. Today, post-election results, Tej Yadav and his family narrated how after constructing Modi Chowk they've been dealing with a mountain of problems."

My statement from ground zero in Darbhanga where our karyakarta was murdered . pic.twitter.com/cbN4uRWiJH

— Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) March 17, 2018

Earlier, on Friday party colleague Sushil Kumar Modi claimed that the murder has no connection with the Narendra Modi chowk and is a case of personal enmity.

"Totally false that murder in Darbhanga was for naming Modi Chawk. Case of land dispute. Board was put long back, Murder has nothing to do with Board," Sushil Modi tweeted.

Totally false that murder in Darbhanga cose of naming Modi https://t.co/Vzjoj6xJaW of land dispute.Board was put long back,Murder has nothing to do with Board.

— Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) March 16, 2018

Also Read: Darbhanga beheading is case of land dispute, no connection with Narendra Modi chowk, says Sushil Modi

On March 15, 60-year-old Ramchandra Yadav was attacked by 40-50 men with hockey sticks and swords. His elder son Tej Narayan has also got injured during the incident.

"Around 40-50 men came on 25-30 bikes with hockey sticks & swords. My father went to them to explain the situation but was beheaded, they also tried to kill my brother," Narayan said. Tej Narayan Yadav is reportedly a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader.

Darbhanga police has already arrested four people in connection with the lynching and beheading of Ramchandra and claimed that the incident took place due to a year-old property dispute case.

However, Nityanand Rai has promised to take all the necessary steps to help the family get justice.