Patna: A bank manager was shot dead on National Highway 83 in Jehanabad district on Monday morning in yet another pointer to increasing lawlessness in the state.

The murder happened near Nehalpur under Paras Bigha police station in the district along the highway, around 60 km south of Patna.

Alok Chandra (31), the victim, was Arwal branch manager for the Bank of Baroda. He was returning from his ancestral village of Kutri in Nawada district to join duty when the criminals accosted him and opened fire. Jehanabad superintendent of police (SP) Shree Maneesh said Alok had gone to his village place on Saturday to attend the last rites of a relative and was returning to Arwal on a motorbike when he was shot dead.

"The incident happened around 9am. Prima facie, it seems to be a fallout of enmity. We are taking all steps to nab the killers," Maneesh said.

Alok's body was sent to Jehanabad sadar hospital for post-mortem, where the hospital in-charge, Dr Vijay Kumar Jha, said the body had five bullet wounds.

"Death would have been due to haemorrhage and shock," Jha said.

Alok is survived by his wife and child, who live in Arwal.

Paras Bigha police station house officer (SHO) Aman Anand said that the bank manager was not robbed and as per eyewitness accounts three men on a motorcycle came up to him from behind and shot him dead.

"We wanted to question his family members to get leads into the killing, but they are not in a condition to talk right now," the SHO said. "However, we have started our investigations and are hoping to crack the case."