Patna, June 4 (IANS) A Bihar court on Thursday sentenced 15 people - including one BJP MLA and two former MPs - to ten years in jail for an attack on the Sitamarhi district collectorate and subsequent police firing in which five persons were killed in 1998, a government lawyer said.

Those sentenced include Parihar's BJP legislator Ram Naresh Yadav, former Janata Dal (United) MP from Sitamarhi Nawal Kishore Rai, former Sheohar MP and RJD leader Anwarul Haq, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) district president Ram Lashan Singh Kushwaha and general secretary Mohan Kumar Singh.

"Soon after the court pronounced the judgment, all of them have been sent to the district jail," a district police official said.

On Tuesday, fast track court judge Mohammad Irshad Alam held them guilty of attempt to murder, voluntarily causing grievous hurt, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, rioting, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty, and rioting while armed with deadly weapon.