Ashok Mahto gang

[1][2][3] The rivalry between Mahto and gangster Akhilesh Singh affected over 100 villages in the Nawada, Nalanda and Sheikhpura districts of Bihar.

[10] In 2003, the Mahto gang allegedly killed the father of a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Aruna Devi – the wife of Akhilesh Singh – and five others, including a six-year-old boy.

During the 2005 election, Aruna Devi, the wife of Akhilesh Singh, was a Lok Janshakti Party candidate for the region's legislative assembly.

[6][13] The Mahto gang also included Sharda Yadav, who was convicted of the massacre of 11 upper-caste people at the village Apshar, and of looting and abduction.

[3] After his attendance in the court, Superintendent of Police Amit Lodha said Mahto had admitted his involvement in the murder of Rajo Singh.

Mahto, however, spoke about his links with JD(U) leader Rajeev Ranjan Singh and his close ties with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal and Lok Janshakti Party pressed for a CBI enquiry in the issue and asked Lalan Singh to resign.

[18] As per some news reports, after being acquitted in the cases, Pintu Mahto later joined active politics and became a member of Janata Dal (United).

In connection with this case, in 2023, Ashok Mahto was admitted before a court in Sheikhpura, where he and another accused of his gang Abhijit Kumar denied the allegations again them.

It was also reported that within the premise of court, a strong mob of people gathered in order to see Mahto, which was diffused by police using extra force.

[28][29] In 2022, a Netflix web series named Khakee: The Bihar Chapter portrayed the story of Pintu Mahto, the sharpshooter of Ashok Mahto gang, which led to controversies, as Bihar government reportedly filed a suit against IPS Amit Lodha for misusing his position and indulging in corrupt practices.

According to senior journalist Kanhaiya Bhelari, the unease in the ruling dispensation of Bihar was caused because of the portrayal of Mahtos as the villains in the web series.

In 2024, he married Anita Devi in an inter-caste marriage as he was promised by Rashtriya Janata Dal leadership that he will get the party symbol to contest from Munger Lok Sabha constituency in 2024 Indian General Elections.

Subsequently, Lalu Prasad Yadav fielded his wife Anita Devi from Munger constituency against Lalan Singh in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.