Criminals robbed a contractor of Rs.2.5 lakh in front of the Munger superintendent of police's office, a private finance company employee was shot at and critically injured in Begusarai after he resisted a loot attempt, a Darbhanga youth was dragged out from his house and killed, and a man in Gaya was shot dead while offering prayers in his house - all on Friday.

The incidents have once again sparked fears that crime is spiralling out of control in the state.

"It's true that incidents of robbery are increasing," said additional director-general of police (ADGP), headquarters, S.K. Singhal. "This is really a matter of concern for the police. We have taken note of such incidents and are taking necessary steps."

Singhal, who is also the official spokesperson of the state police, said district superintendents of police (SPs) had been told to give top priority to investigations into incidents of cash loot.

The SPs have been asked to furnish details of arrests and progress in cases of loot and robbery to the police headquarters every day.

In the Munger incident, two motorbike-borne criminals waylaid Mohammad Asim in front of the office of Munger SP Ashish Bharti in broad daylight. Asim was going to meet an officer in the rural engineering office near the SP's office after parking his SUV.

Undeterred by the presence of security personnel at the SP's office, the criminals snatched Asim's bag, which had Rs.2.5 lakh cash, and sped away. A big crowd assembled at the spot when Asim raised an alarm, but nobody dared to stop the armed robbers.

The loot was captured in the CCTV cameras installed at the SP's office. "We have uploaded the photographs of the suspects on social networking sites. We solicit people's cooperation in cracking the case at the earliest," said Munger SP Ashish Bharti.

In Begusarai, Shankar Chaurasia, manager of Bharat Micro Finance Company, was returning to his office after collecting money from some female members of a self-help group hen he was attacked - again in broad daylight. Chaurasia, a resident of Gopalpur village in Lakhisarai district, is admitted to a private nursing home where his condition was stated to be stable.

In Gaya, Ghulam Nabi Khan, said to be the district president of NCP, was killed when he was offering morning prayers at his house under the jurisdiction of Sherghati police station.

Police suspect Ghulam's son Salman alias Gabbar, who is absconding after the incident.

And in Darbhanga, there was unrest after Mohammad Arman was found lying in a pool of blood at Mishra Tola under the jurisdiction of Darbhanga Town police station. Arman's family members said somebody called him on phone. As soon as he came out of the house he was shot.

Darbhanga Town police SHO Ramesh Dubey said some of Arman's friends were being probed.