Ex-MLA in Bihar held for ordering daughter's honour killing'

A former Bihar MLA has been arrested for hiring contract killers to bump off his daughter with whom he has been upset, as she married a man of another caste, police said.

Surendra Sharma was apprehended on Sunday after the hitmen, whom he had paid Rs 20 lakh for the "honour killing", spilled the beans, said Pramod Kumar, SP, City (East) of Patna.

"An attempt was made on his daughter's life on the intervening night of July 1-2. The woman, who lives in Shri Krishna Puri police station area, lodged a police complaint that she had been fired at by unidentified persons, who sped away on a motorcycle after missing the target, Kumar said.

An intensive search operation was launched and on Saturday, Abhishek alias Chhote Sarkar, who heads the gang, was arrested along with two of his associates.

Abhishek told police about Sharma, who had served a term in the legislative assembly from his native Saran district in the 1990s.

Not known to have any party affiliations, Sharma, who had contested as an Independent, is also said to have criminal antecedents.

Three country-made pistols, several rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle without a number plate are among the items recovered from the possession of Abhishek and his associates, the SP added.