All about Ranvir Sena - Bihar

 Ranvir Sena  is a private Military Outfit based in Bihar formed to tackle the growing atrocities committed by Naxalites. This group is thought to be formed by Bhumihar Brahmin landlords. The Ranvir Sena has committed violent acts against Naxalite sympathisers and other members of the militant communist party. The Bihar State government banned the Ranvir Sena in July 1995 and since then the Ranvir Sena remains proscribed.
The name Ranvir comes from Ranvir Baba who lived during the late 19th century.  Ranvir Baba, a retired military man and a resident of Belaur village in Bhojpur district, protected the rights of the Bhumihars Brahmins against the Rajputs. It is believed that Bhumihars asserted their power in Bhojpur because of his efforts. This gave the Ranvir Sena its name when it was founded decades later under the leadership of Brahmeshwar Singh ‘Mukhiya’.
It was founded in September 1994 in Belaur village of Udwantnagar block, Bhojpur district following the merger of private caste armies like Savarna Liberation Army and the Sunlight Sena. The forerunners to the Ranvir Sena in Bhojpur district were the Brahmarshi Sena and Kuer Sena, Kisan Morcha and Ganga Sena. These groups were smaller in size and operated with a limited area. They could not sustain for long and had withered away due to repeated Naxalite onslaughts.
Brahmeshwar Singh of Khopira founded Ranvir Sena. Its founding and continuing commander is Brahmeshwar Singh of Khopira village.
From Bhojpur district where it was formed, over a period of time, the Ranvir Sena spread to Jahanabad, Patna, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Gaya, Bhabhua and Buxardistricts. It mobilises the landed gentry in these districts against the People’s War Group (PWG), the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) and the CPI-ML (Liberation).
The Ranvir Sena is highly organized, has extensive influence among landowners in its areas of operation, and is supposedly well-endowed with financial resources.
Ranvir Sena cadres are militarily better-organised and are better-paid than any of the private armies of the past. The cadres operate mostly underground while their leaders are believed to be living in towns.
Brahmeshwar Singh ‘Mukhiya’, the founder chief of the Ranvir Sena, on whose head the authorities had placed a reward of half a million Indian rupees, was the Supreme Commander of the Ranvir Sena until he was arrested in Patna on August 29, 2002 to face a large number of criminal cases, which included those related to massacres.
Initial reports said that Shamsher Bahadur Singh was, on September 7, 2002, appointed new chief of the Ranvir Sena. However, according to a report of December 25, 2002, the chief of the Ranvir Sena was Bhuar Thakur until he was arrested with his two associates on December 24, 2002 near Karnol bridge on the Patna-Sasaram road in Charpokhri, Bhojpur.
On 8th July 2011, Brahmeshwar Singh was released on bail after serving 9 years in jail for 17 cases, including those related to Dalit carnages in Bihar, after he was arrested from Patna in 2002. He was earlier granted bail in 16 other cases.
Ranvir Kisan Maha Sangh is the political wing that tried to take part in the 2004 elections. The Ranvir Mahila Sangh, a women’s wing, has also been created. Its members too have been trained in arms use. The centre is in Jehanabad.
On 5 May 2012, the founder of Ranvir Sena Brahmeshwar Mukhiya, floated a non-political outfit Akhil Bharatiya Rashtravadi Kisan Sangathan.


source: http://news.biharprabha.com/2012/06/complete-details-of-ranvir-sena-and-brahmeshwar-singh-mukhiya/

Ranvir Sena founder killed; high alert in Bihar

Ara: The chief of Ranvir Sena, the dreaded private militia of 'upper caste' landowners, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Friday while he was on a morning walk triggering violence during which the Bihar DGP was roughed up.

Five private and government vehicles were set on fire in the violence that broke out in the district headquarter town of Ara in Bhojpur district after the killing of Brahmeshwar Singh alias 'Mukhiya ji', police said. Singh was in his early 70s.

Curfew was clamped in Ara after the shooting but it was lifted in the afternoon following a high-level review of the situation by senior state officials. The situation in the district was described as tense but under control.


Director-General of Police Abhayanand, who is camping at the spot, was roughed up and heckled by local people who charged him with failure to provide security to Singh, who was also the founder of the banned outfit.

Singh was taking a stroll when six unidentified gunmen armed with sophisticated weapons pumped several bullets into him, killing him on the spot at Katira Mohalla under Nawada police station, 71 kms from Patna, police said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar appealed for calm and said investigations were underway to trace the killers.
The DGP constituted a high-level team led by Deputy Inspector General of Police Ajitabh Kumar to expedite the probe into the killing and submit a report within a month.

"Guilty won't be spared," Abhayanand said.

Singh, who faced life imprisonment in several cases of carnage he had perpetrated on the lower caste landless poor, including in Laxmanpur Bathe where 61 Dalits were massacred in December, 1996, was acquitted and released from jail in April this year.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC would remain in force, sub-divisional police officer Dharmesh Kumar said.

The main opposition parties RJD, Congress and LJP demanded a CBI probe into the incident. As the news of the killing spread, hundreds of Sena supporters gathered at the site of the killing and shouted anti-government slogans.

The Sena men also tried to chase policemen, including the superintendent of police, who had arrived at the spot and later clashed with policemen.

source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/bihar/ranvir-sena-founder-killed-high-alert-in-bihar_779065.html

Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh arouses fear even in his death

PATNA/NEW DELHI: Brahmeshwar Singh, the chief of Bihar's outlawed militia of landlords, Ranvir Sena, was shot dead in Arrah on Friday by six unidentified gunmen, while he was taking a morning walk. The town, thereafter, erupted in violence. The police faced a horrid time in controlling irate supporters of Singh, who went on the rampage, targeting government establishments, setting ablaze vehicles and even roughing up director-general of police Abhayanand who rushed to Arrah.

Singh was on a morning stroll near his residence, under the Nawada police station, when motorbike borne gunmen shot him several times, killing him on the spot. As news spread across the town, thousands started converging to the spot. The mob was irked by alleged delay in the police team to reach the scene of murder. When the SP finally reached the residence of Singh, he had to confront an irate mob. Singh's supporters refused to hand over the body to the police for post-mortem and at one point demanded that chief minister Nitish Kumar visit the village. The DGP, however, persuaded Singh's kin to hand over the body to the police for post mortem.

The murder led to tension in Bhojpur and other adjoining districts. People fear a backlash and revival of internecine caste feuds, which was very much part of Bihar's polity from 1990 to 2001. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called upon the people of Bhojpur to maintain peace and harmony. Kumar, who is in Bhagalpur in connection with his Seva Yatra, said senior officials had been despatched to Arrah to help maintain law and order.

DGP Abhayanand constituted a high-level team led by deputy inspector-general of police Ajitabh Kumar to expedite the probe into the killing and submit a report within a month. However, JD(U)'s alliance partner, BJP, the opposition RJD, LJP and Congress demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident. "The incident could be part of larger gameplan to defame the state government. Political parties which have been marginalised may hope to exploit the incident, but they will not succeed," remarked JD(U) spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari.

Although its state unit demanded a CBI probe, in New Delhi the Congress central leadership was guarded in its comments. CWC member Shakeel Ahmed told reporters that no one should play politics over the incident. A former Union minister, Ahmed is also a former PCC president of Bihar. He asked all responsible citizens and political parties to work together to ensure that the incident would not turn into a caste conflict.

Steering clear of the demand for a CBI probe into the matter, Ahmed however said, "there are no two opinions that such incidents put a question mark on the law and order in the state."

Union home secretary RK Singh will visit Bihar on Saturday to review the law and order. The home secretary, currently visiting Shillong, will travel to Patna directly in a pre-scheduled visit to review the law and order situation in Bihar. Friday's incident would figure in the review meeting with state government officials as the Centre considers the incident can have long-term law and order repercussions. 

 

source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/ranvir-sena-chief-brahmeshwar-singh-arouses-fear-even-in-his-death/articleshow/13715037.cms

Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh shot dead in Bihar

Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Bihar's Bhojpur district early on Friday morning, police said.
Singh was on a morning walk when he was accosted by gunmen who pumped several bullets into him, killing him on the spot at Katira Mohalla under Nawada police station, 71 kms from Patna, they said.
Singh alias Mukhiya ji, who was earlier facing life imprisonment in various carnage cases, was acquitted and released from jail in April this year.
Chief of Ranvir Sena, a private militia of upper caste landlords, is allegedly responsible for perpetrating several killings including Laxmanpur Bathe massacre of 61 Dalits way back in December 1996.
His hand was also suspected in carnages that took place in the districts of Jahanabad, Aurangabad and Nawada in 1990s.
As the news of the killing spread, hundreds of Sena supporters gathered at the site of the killing and shouted anti-government slogans. They also tried to chase away policemen including the superintendent of police, who had arrived at the spot.
Patrolling has been intensified in the area as tension ran high.

source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ranvir-sena-chief-brahmeshwar-singh-shot-dead-in-bihar/1/198496.html

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