Patna: Gun-toting men shot dead a railway employee in Munger on Thursday, close on the heels of the daring murder of a jeweller in Muzaffarpur and kidnapping of a businessman from Gaya district.
Reports reaching the state police headquarters say armed criminals accosted Dinesh Mandal, 49, a technician with the Indian Railways, near Diesel Shed Mor in Munger district headquarters town around 8.05 am on Thursday and pumped two bullets into him. The first bullet hit Mandal's head while the second one pierced through his chest, causing instant death.
The assailants, said to be in their late 20s, escaped on bikes. Residents rushed Mandal to the Munger sadar hospital where doctors declared him "brought dead."
Munger additional superintendent of police (ASP) Hari Kishore Kumar said the criminals attacked Mandal when he was going to work on his Scooty. "As Mandal reached the Diesel Shed turning, they fired at him from close range," he said. "The area was immediately cordoned off but the killers managed to flee."
Mandal was a resident of Ghoghi Bariarpur in neighbouring Lakhisarai district. The reason behind his murder is yet to be ascertained. "We are living under the shadow of the gun," said Mohammad Mukeem, a resident of Kasim Bazar in Munger, around 180km southeast of Patna. "People fear to step out of their homes unless required. The daylight murder is an indication that criminals are virtually ruling the roost in Munger."
The crime took place within 12 hours of the daring murder of a jeweller in Muzaffarpur. Yet another incident of murder took place at Khabra village, on the outskirts of Muzaffarpur, within an hour of the jeweller's killing. The criminals also looted his sport utility vehicle.
In Lakhisarai, armed criminals looted Rs 3 lakh after shooting at Krishna Mohan Singh, a medicine dealer and Suryagarha block secretary of Bihar Chemist and Druggist Association, on Wednesday.
Gaya police have failed to trace Vinod Kumar Sah two days after he was kidnapped from Dobhi-Sherghati road. Vinod, a fodder-cum-paddy dealer, was whisked away late on Tuesday evening when he was going home to Sherghati from his shop in Piparghatti.
Gaya senior superintendent of police Garima Malik said the special investigation team raided different hideouts of the suspects on Wednesday but no arrests were made.
Unconfirmed reports said the SIT headed by Gaya City SP Gaurav Mangla has picked up foursuspects for interrogation.
Additional director general (headquarters) S.K. Singhal said every effort was on to contain incidents of crime. Major crimes such as kidnapping for ransom, robbery and bank dacoity are under control, he claimed.
