Fatal Ambush: Senior BJP Leader Shot Dead Outside His Patna Residence

Patna, Bihar - A prominent leader within the state's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gopal Khemka, was shot dead on Tuesday evening in front of his residence in Patna. The bold act of murder during daylight hours has sent chill across the political spectrum of the state and raises important questions regarding the concern for safety.Fatal Ambush: Senior BJP Leader Shot Dead Outside His Patna ResidenceKhemka, who serves as the President of the BJP Patna Metropolitan Business Cell and is a former councillor of the BJP, was reportedly going to attend a family event. He was ambushed by two men on a motorcycle just when he was about to get into his car. These assailants opened fire at him with at least four shots which left him critically wounded and they fled the scene.Khemka’s injuries were very serious and by the time he reached the local medical facility, he had already died.The family member talking to media while crying was Khemka’s son Rishabh. voicing his disbelief said that his father never had known personal rivals. He confirmed that Khemka was involved in some property transactions which was "known to many.” Investigators have zeroed in this area.SSP Patna Shri Manu Maharaj reassured citizens that a detailed investigation was being conducted. Several police teams have been created for the case, including examining the CCTV cameras in the neighborhood. While dismissing political angle to the case for the time being, SSP Maharaj did say that they seemed to be leaning towards a theory of personal vengeance or some enmity related to Khemka’s business dealings. The assassination reignited a political controversy in Bihar. Chief minister Nitish Kumar was the first one to go visit the grieving family and personally offer them condolences and promised that he would ensure that cada no stone would be left unturned in ensuring that culprits are captured and punished. In rage, BJP workers and leaders have taken to the streets, protesting the murder and calling for a swift resolution to the case. The opposition, mostly represented by Ex CM Sushil Kumar Modi from BJP, has been quite harsh claiming that burying “jungle raj” is being revived in Bihar and is calling for the DGP and Chief Minister’s resignation. On the other side of the spectrum, Tejshawi Yadav from RJD calls these claims nonsensical, saying that the government is trying to control balance in the state.While the police investigate the reasons behind this shocking murder, the untimely demise of Gopal Khemka highlights an ongoing dispute about safety and the performance of law enforcement in Bihar.