BIHAR HIT&RUN: SUSPENDED BJP LEADER BAITHA SURRENDERS

Suspended Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Manoj Baitha surrendered before the local police in the wee hours of Wednesday, four days after a Bolero he was allegedly driving in an inebriated condition mowed down nine school children in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district.

Baitha, who also sustained injuries in the Saturday’s accident, was sent to Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) for treatment in police custody.

Soon after the accident he went into hiding, causing a major embarrassment to the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state.

Top opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, took a dig at the state government for failing to arrest Baitha, a district BJP general secretary.

They alleged that the government was shielding the accused as he belonged to the BJP, a constituent of the JD (U)-led ruling coalition.

The Bihar assembly also witnessed uproarious scenes on Tuesday with opposition leaders staging protests demanding Baitha’s immediate arrest.

Sources in the BJP said Baitha, in his early forties, was pressurised by the party’s leadership to surrender.

Police, however, said constant pressure they generated on the absconder by raiding various places worked and he was left with no other option, but to give in.

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