The 40-plus post-graduate, who runs a private school, catapulted to infamy when she, a few months ago, accused the four-time legislator of sexually abusing her over a long period of time. She had then said she came into the MLA's contact when she invited him to a function at the school founded by her and spouse Ashok Pathak in 2007.
The couple were earlier working in a school in Manipur. For reasons unknown, Rupam's husband deserted the Purnia school and resumed his job in the northeastern state.
In her FIR lodged in the Khazanchihat police station on April 18 last year, Rupam also accused MLA Kesri's companion Bipin Rai of sexually abusing her for the last three years. When summoned to depose before a judicial magistrate in the case on June 18, however, she withdrew the allegation. Police on September 7 submitted a final report in the court, giving a clean chit to the MLA.Rupam, however, took a fresh turnaround and filed a protest petition in the court against the final report. She alleged she was bullied into withdrawing the charges. The court had fixed March 25, 2011 as the next date of hearing the case.
A mother of two, Rupam is also said to have in the past dragged her father-in-law and husband's brother to court, hurling sexual abuse slur on them.Convalescing at the Katihar Medical College at Katihar after being brutalised by a mob following her murderous bid on the MLA, Rupam had no regrets. "The MLA is a demon... He could not die and was just pretending," said the woman, apparently unaware that the MLA had died
Woman stabs Bihar MLA to death in
At least 12 people, who had come to meet the 51-year-old Purnia MLA, saw the BJP leader falling on the ground amid a pool of blood. The four-time legislator was rushed to the sadar hospital, barely a km and half away. However, doctors declared him "brought dead".
The woman was identified as Rupam Pathak, who runs a private school located near the MLA's house. She had a few months ago filed a criminal case against the MLA, alleging continued sexual abuse for three years. Later, however, she had retracted the allegation.
Purnia SP Nayyar Hasnain Khan told TOI the MLA was cosying in the morning sun and chatting with visitors when the woman, draped in a woollen shawl, appeared on the scene. She requested the MLA to come aside as she had something urgent to talk to him in private. The unsuspecting legislator followed her towards a makeshift chawl on his three and a half bigha premises.
"I saw `maalik' talking to the woman. There was some hot talk. She suddenly whipped out a sharp knife from under her shawl, and pierced it twice into his abdomen," said Raju Marandi, the MLA's domestic help who was tending flowers nearby.
While Kesri's aides were busy bundling him into his SUV to take him to the hospital, his bodyguard rushed to overpower the woman. She was severely mauled and beaten by the people who had by then assembled at the spot. Police rushed her to Katihar Medical College at neighbouring Katihar where she was "out of danger".
As the news spread, hundreds of the MLA's admirers crowded the hospital. Katihar BJP MP Nikhil Kumar Chowdhury, Baisi BJP MLA Santosh Kushwaha were among those who showed up.
Cremation today
The MLA's body was taken to his old residence in Madhubani locality in the town. He will be cremated on Wednesday.
"We will probe the case from all angles, including conspiracy angle," SP Khan said.
Incidentally, this is not the first incident of MLA killing in Purnia. Ajit Sarkar, five-time CPM MLA from Purnia, was shot dead in broad daylight on the outskirts of Purnia town in June 1998.
A couple of weeks back, Rupauli's JD (U) MLA Bima Bharati had to send an SOS to the SP to rescue her from her husband Awadhesh Mandal, an alleged crimelord, who had allegedly beaten her up for the whole night.
A politician in the Philippines who was shot dead while taking a photograph of his family on New Year's Day captured his killer on camera just seconds before the assassin fired the fatal shots.
Reynaldo Dagsa, a 35-year-old district councilor in the metro area of Manila, was taking a photograph of his wife, daughter and mother-in-law outside of his home at the exact moment his killer stepped from behind a nearby car and took aim.
In the photograph, the man is shown standing behind Dagsa's smiling daughter, wearing a black baseball cap backward -- and a cold gaze – as he points his pistol directly at the camera.
The barrel of the pistol is illuminated by the camera's flash.
Just seconds later, Dagsa was shot in the right forearm and the chest. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
After discovering the terrifying coincidence, Dagsa's family gave the camera to police, who used the photo to find the gunman and his lookout, who was also caught in the photograph.
The two men were arrested in separate raids in Manila on Monday, according to The Associated Press.
Caloocan city police Chief Jude Santos said the suspect was a car thief who was out on bail and likely sought revenge because Dagsa had ordered his arrest last year.
Dagsa's wife and daughter told local reporters that the family was headed out into the city to join the boisterous crowds celebrating the New Year.
The shots, the family said, were masked by the popping of nearby firecrackers. They only knew something was wrong when he fell to the ground after being hit.
A portrait of Reynalyn Dagsa at his wake at his family's home in Caloocan city, north of Manila. (AP)
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