Bihar’s political climate turned volatile on Sunday after Janata Dal (United) candidate and former Mokama MLA Anant Singh was arrested in connection with the murder of Dularchand Yadav.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya K. Sharma led a large contingent to Singh’s residence in Barh around 12:30 a.m., where the leader was reportedly asleep. 

He was taken into custody and brought to Patna, where he was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate around 2 a.m. and subsequently remanded to judicial custody.

Confirming the arrest, SSP Sharma said that two others — Manikant Thakur of Nadma village and Ranjeet Ram of Ladma village — were also present at the scene of the crime. According to police, evidence placing Anant Singh at the murder site led to his arrest. A special CID team has been formed to investigate further.

Nearly 150 security personnel from the central paramilitary forces and local police stations in Mokama, Barh, Ghoswari, Hathidah, and Bhadaur were deployed during the midnight operation.

Significantly, Singh had been campaigning across Mokama throughout Saturday, visiting several villages. Shortly after his arrest, a post appeared on his social media account stating, “Satyameva Jayate!! I have complete faith in the people of Mokama, so now the people of Mokama will fight the elections,” which quickly went viral.

While Singh’s supporters decried the arrest as politically motivated, his opponents said the law had taken its course.

The case stems from the murder of Dularchand Yadav, a supporter of Jan Suraj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi alias Lallu Mukhiya, who was killed on Thursday night. Initially believed to have died from a gunshot wound, the post-mortem report revealed that Yadav’s fatal injuries were caused by being run over by a vehicle, resulting in multiple fractures and ruptured lungs. The autopsy, conducted by a three-doctor panel in Barh, was carried out in the presence of a magistrate.

Anant Singh’s name surfaced early in the investigation, and his detention — coming just days before polling — is expected to have significant political repercussions. Known for his strong local influence, Singh’s arrest could reshape campaign dynamics in Mokama and reverberate across the NDA’s election strategy.

Political observers say the development marks one of the most explosive moments of this election season in Bihar.