PATNA, June 11 -- Two back-to-back double murders in Patna district within 24 hours have once again brought the focus on law and order, with the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) mounting a scathing attack on the government for its failure to control crime. On Monday night, two persons were killed due to personal enmity under the jurisdiction of Bikram police station in rural Patna, while earlier that morning, a retired nurse and her daughter were killed in a dispute with their neighbour in the Alamganj police station area in the state capital. Around 6 am on Tuesday, Bikram police found two bullet-riddled bodies later identified as Sonu Kumar and his friend Roshan Kumar near Majhauli Singhara village under Paliganj subdivision. Police recovered a black Apache motorbike and 12 spent bullet cartridges from the scene. An investigation is underway to ascertain the cause and circumstances of the incident. According to the police, local residents spotted the bodies while out on a morning walk and alerted authorities through the emergency number 112. Preliminary reports suggest both men were shot in the head at close range, possibly overnight. Family members of the deceased claim that each victim sustained six bullet wounds. Upon receiving the information, Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Awakas Kumar visited the scene and inquired about the incident. He told reporters that Sonu was a named suspect in the 2023 murder of a local chowkidar, Dharmendra Paswan. That incident occurred in Naghar village under the Bikram police station's jurisdiction. Both Sonu and Roshan had told their families that they were heading to Akhtiyarpur village to negotiate a settlement related to the Dharmendra Paswan murder case. "They were killed en route, which strongly suggests the motive may be rooted in ongoing enmity. A forensic science laboratory (FSL) team later reached the spot to gather evidence, and the bodies were sent to AIIMS-Patna for autopsy," said the SSP. Following the incident, local residents blocked the road and disrupted traffic for more than two hours. They protested outside the Bikram police station, demanding the suspension of the station house officer (SHO). The incident has raised serious questions about the law and order situation in the state capital. It's noteworthy that Patna has seven IPS officers, including the central range IG and assistant superintendents of police (ASPs), besides 22 SDPOs and DSPs. According to official figures, the state capital registered 116 murders, 48 robberies, 36 rapes, 10 dacoities, and 33 snatching incidents (excluding cellphone thefts) between January and May 2025. Additionally, 13 extortion cases were also reported. The SSP said that in most murder cases, the disputes were either related to land or illicit affairs. Bihar witnessed 2,784 murders in 2024, while 490 people were killed in the state between January and May 2025, said Additional Director General (Headquarters) Kundan Krishnan. "There has been a spike in murder cases," he admitted. Seizing on the deteriorating law and order situation, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) national president and former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad on Tuesday flayed the state government. He claimed that under the rule of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, over 65,000 people have lost their lives. In a post on X, he cited official statistics to claim that more than 65,000 murders have occurred during Nitish Kumar's tenure. "Does Nitish know, recognise, and understand that during his rule, according to official figures, 65,000 murders have taken place? 65,000 people have been murdered, 65,000!" he wrote. Earlier, Tejashwi Yadav launched a sharp attack on the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government, criticizing both the law and order situation and the collapse of the health system. The JD(U) quickly responded to Lalu's charges. "Look who is talking! Those who protected criminal kingpins for political gains are now preaching about crime. Before raising questions on law and order, the RJD supremo should look into his conscience and publicly apologise for the crimes that pushed Bihar into the fire of jungle raj," said JD(U) state president Umesh Kushwaha....