Patna: Last night, Union Minister and BJP candidate Ram Kripal Yadav faced a close call when his convoy came under attack and shots were fired in Patna's Masaurhi area, located within the Patliputra parliamentary constituency in Bihar.

Yadav, who was once a close aide to RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav but has since aligned with the BJP, has been successfully holding the Patliputra seat since 2014. In this election, he faces competition from Lalu Yadav's daughter and Rajya Sabha MP, Misa Bharti, who has been defeated by Yadav in the previous two general elections.

The incident occurred on the same day the Patliputra seat went to polls in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Reports suggest that an altercation erupted between the aides of local RJD MLA Rekha Paswan and villagers at a polling booth. Upon learning of the situation, Yadav rushed to the polling booth to address the villagers. However, as he was returning, his convoy was attacked. While Yadav managed to escape unharmed, some of his supporters were assaulted. In response, Yadav's supporters blocked the road and staged a protest until police intervention.

The area has since seen a heavy deployment of security forces, with police conducting raids to apprehend the assailants.

Confirming the incident, Patna East Superintendent of Police Bharat Soni stated, "We received information that on the Patna-Jehanabad road, the convoy of (BJP MP and minister) Ram Kripal Yadav was attacked and a party worker injured in the incident. A written complaint was filed, and we are investigating the matter."

Rahul Gandhi Leads Congress Strategy Meeting Post-Lok Sabha Polls

Arvind Kejriwal's Return to Tihar Jail Today: Interim Bail Ends

Early Trends Show BJP Leading in Arunachal Pradesh, SKM Dominating in Sikkim