Bihar, Nov.01,2025:“Mokama murder revelation” marks a startling flashpoint in the charged environment of Bihar’s 2025 legislative elections. In the south-bank belt of the Ganga, in the assembly constituency of Mokama, the killing of 76-year-old former strongman Dularchand Yadav during a campaign appearance has sent shockwaves through the state’s political terrain. The incident has revived longstanding fault-lines of caste, crime, power and governance. This article digs into the revelations surrounding the murder, dissects the underlying structural issues it signals, reviews responses and assesses what lies ahead-
What the Mokama murder revelation is — The Incident
The Victim- Dularchand Yadav
Dularchand Yadav was a prominent figure in the Mokama-Tal region of Patna district. Once a local strongman, he maintained influence in the 1980s and 1990s, had contested elections and was long aligned with key players in Bihar political circuits. Reports describe him as campaigning on 30 October 2025 for the candidate of the Jan Suraaj Party, Piyush Priyadarshi (popularly known as “Piyush Priyadarshi”), when the fatal incident occurred.
Mokama in Turmoil
On that afternoon, around 3:00 pm, across the area between the villages of Tartar and Basawan Chak, a clash erupted between rival convoys representing competing candidates. Yadav was reportedly walking with the Jan Suraaj candidate’s supporters when altercation broke out with the convoy of the rival candidate, namely the longstanding figure Anant Singh (also known as “Chhote Sarkar”). Supporters of both sides allegedly engaged in stone-pelting, lathi-charges and then gunfire. According to reports, Yadav sustained gunshot injuries to his leg and was subsequently crushed under a vehicle.
Key Accusations & FIRs
In the aftermath, FIRs were filed naming Anant Singh and four others in connection with the killing of Yadav. The family of the deceased has directly accused Anant Singh of orchestrating the murder, demanding his arrest within 24 hours. Meanwhile Anant Singh has rejected those allegations, pointing instead to his political rival’s camp — especially another strong figure, Surajbhan Singh — claiming the attack was a set-up.
Underlying Dynamics of the Mokama murder revelation
Political Contest & Violent Legacy
Mokama is no ordinary constituency: it has been dominated for decades by Anant Singh’s family, with one term exception since 1990. The region has historically been a hot-bed of muscle-power politics, with local strongmen (commonly termed “bahubalis”) wielding clout. The murder of Yadav resurrects this legacy, signalling that the shadow of brute force remains embedded in the electoral contest.
Caste and Crime in Mokama
The incident cannot be divorced from the caste arithmetic of the region. Yadav’s murder is seen by many as emblematic of Roh (riverine) belt politics, where Yadavs and Dhanuks form significant vote blocs, and Bhumihars and other dominant castes have their own power bases. The murder has reopened caste-crime tensions, with the backward-castes seeing a possible rallying moment against entrenched strongmen.
Implications for the 2025 Assembly Election
Coming ahead of the polls, the Mokama murder revelation raises serious questions for electoral integrity and governance. The fact that the first major political killing has occurred in this campaign has triggered alarm bells. The Election Commission of India has already ordered a full arms deposit drive across Bihar’s 348 poll-observers’ zones. The incident raises risks for voter suppression, fear-politics and targeted violence — all of which may distort democratic choice.
Responses and Reaction to the Mokama murder revelation
Family Claims and Accusations
Yadav’s family has vocally accused Anant Singh of ordering the killing, saying: “Anant Singh must be arrested within 24 hours… our dādā (grandfather) was shot in the leg and then run over by a car.” They allege that the district administration and police are delaying action, creating fear among relatives. The funeral procession faced stone-pelting and gunfire en route, showing how tense the situation remains.
Institutional Response (Police & ECI)
The Patna SSP has confirmed that the cause of death is under investigation; post-mortem reports have reportedly indicated that the death may not have been due solely to a gunshot — complicating the case. Meanwhile the ECI has mandated strict law-and-order monitoring across polling districts, including licensed fire-arms deposit, as precaution. Political parties and civil-society voices have condemned the incident as emblematic of “jungle-raj” returning and demanded immediate, transparent action.
Broader Significance of the Mokama murder revelation
Law-and-Order in Bihar’s Polls
The murder signals a serious fragility in law enforcement during election campaigning. If a 76-year-old known figure can be killed in broad daylight in a constituency that is watched, the question arises: what protections do ordinary candidates and voters have? For the state apparatus, this revelation is a test of credibility.
The Role of ‘Muscle Power’ in Politics
Mokama’s case underlines how muscle-power and electoral politics remain intertwined in certain belts. The murder of Yadav — himself once a strongman — shows that even the “old guard” is vulnerable when rival power centres clash. For democracy, it signals that brute force still has purchase over contestation and outcomes.
Voter Behaviour and Electoral Risk
For voters, the Mokama murder revelation raises three risks: fear of reprisals, intimidation affecting turnout, and the possibility that violence shifts results. For political parties, this may impact candidate selection (strong vs weak), campaign strategy (presence of arms vs clean image) and alliances (caste blocs trying to capitalise on backlash).
Investigation & Accountability After the Mokama murder revelation
Current Status of the Investigation
- FIRs have been lodged with Anant Singh and four others.
- Forensic teams and CCTV footage retrieval are under way.
- Post-mortem reports are complicating the cause of death (possibly not direct gunshot).
- The ECI has ordered arms deposit and close monitoring of Mokama and contiguous areas.
What Citizens and Media Should Watch
- Transparency in the investigation: whether independent observers are used, whether political interference is minimal.
- Arrests and charge-sheets: timing, level of accused, whether strong persons face real consequences.
- Impact on campaign atmosphere: whether violence escalates or is contained; whether voter turnout is suppressed.
- Institutional reforms: whether this incident triggers amendments in campaign regulation, arms control, protective security for vulnerable candidates.
Measures to Prevent Election Violence
- Deployment of central paramilitary forces and additional police in high-risk belts like Mokama.
- Strict enforcement of Model Code of Conduct with heavy penalties for campaign-related violence.
- Immediate arms-seizure drives and deposit of licensed weapons ahead of polling.
- Community-based observers and civil-society monitoring of campaign zones.
- Political parties being made accountable for the background of their candidates (especially those with criminal charges).
The Mokama murder revelation is not merely an isolated crime — it is a mirror held up to the structural conjunction of power, violence and politics in Bihar. The killing of Dularchand Yadav in the heart of an electoral contest reveals how vulnerable the democratic process can be when muscle politics remains key. For India’s largest and most complex state election in 2025, the incident is a red-flag: unless prompt, transparent and tough action is taken, the faith of voters in free and fair elections may erode further.
