Firm seeks Rs.1 crore from Bihar for killed engineers

A private company engaged in road construction in Bihar has demanded Rs.1 crore as compensation from the state government for the families of two engineers killed allegedly for not paying extortion money to a notorious gang.

Two engineers of Gurgaon-based construction company BSC-C&C Joint Venture Ltd., engaged in road making in Bihar, were shot dead in Darbhanga district last month.

Over two weeks after two of its engineers were killed, the company has written to a top official of Bihar's road construction department, demanding compensation to instil confidence among engineers, skilled and non-skilled workers engaged in other construction projects in the state, the company's official said on Tuesday.

The company officials have informed the state government that engineers and contractors were reluctant to carry on work on some other projects despite security being provided by the Bihar authorities.

Earlier, the company also requested for adequate security for its employees engaged in road construction in view of fear among them following the killing of the two engineers.

According to police, the two engineers -- Brajesh Kumar and Mukesh Kumar -- were killed on December 26 by two motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly for not paying extortion money.

An official of the BSC-C&C Joint Venture Ltd. said a man named Mukesh Pathak, who works as a shooterfor gangster Santosh Jha, has been demanding a "levy" from the company since August.

The official said Pathak called several times between December 16 and 20.

A police probe indicated involvement of Santosh Jha's gang. He is currently lodged in the Gaya Central Jail.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed, led by Special Task Force Superintendent of Police Shivdeep Lande.

Jha's sister Munni Devi and her husband Sanjay Lal Dev were on last Saturday arrested in connection with the killing of the two engineers. During police interrogation, Munni Devi has reportedly confessed her involvement in the killings.