The rivalry between Mahto and gangster Akhilesh Singh affected over 100 villages in the Nawada, Nalanda and Sheikhpura districts of Bihar.Between 1998 and 2006, the rivalry, which claimed over 200 lives in Nawada district, stemmed from caste conflict between Bhumihars and Koeris. The clash between the two groups would decide power over stone-crushing and sand-lifting arrangements in the affected districts.
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. It was reported the killings were in retaliation for the deaths of seven labourers who were allegedly killed by the Akhilesh Singh gang. In 2000 they attacked the same MLA's house and killed over 12 people.
The Mahto-Singh rivalry was a rivalry between two gangs for supremacy but a mobilisation of castes in support of each of these two gangs also took place. During the 2005 election, Aruna Devi, the wife of Akhilesh Singh, was a Lok Janshakti Party candidate for the region's legislative assembly. According to one of her supporters, the charges of murder and abduction upon Akhilesh Singh were frivolous and he had taken up arms to fight for the honour of his community, the Bhumihars. Ashok Mahto and his men were said to have taken over the responsibility for protecting the rights of the suppressed Koeri community and as other Backward Castes. Aruna Devi faced opposition from Pradeep Mahto, the nephew of Ashok Mahto, who also had several charges against him. Ashok Mahto was also responsible for killing a large number of upper-caste people in the area.
According to some of the inhabitants of Warsaliganj and Afsar, the Mahto gang had enforced sanctions upon Bhumihars to use a particular road in their area of influence. As per their description, the Bhumihar people, if found using that road for travelling to their destinations, were severely punished by Mahto gang..
