An alert guard helped avert an attempt to rob Rs 14 lakh in Chhapra, while six armed criminals looted a fish trader of Rs 3.75 lakh in Muzaffarpur’s Sikandarpur on Monday.

In the first incident, motorcycle-borne armed criminals shot dead Sohar Miyan, the security guard of HDFC Bank escorting the cash van, while he was on way to deposit Rs 14 lakh at an ATM. The attackers, however, could not take away the money, as the second security guard, who was accompanying the deceased, promptly ran away from the spot with the money.

“The incident took place near Kuchhery More,” said Town police station house officer Ganesh Thakur. The injured guard was rushed to a government hospital, where doctors declared him dead. A manhunt has been launched to nab the robbers, he said.

In the second incident, trader Sanjay Kumar and his employee, Santosh Kumar, were on their way on a bike to deposit money in a bank in Mithanpura. Six bike-borne criminals intercepted the duo and snatched the money from the trader at gunpoint near the Muzaffarpur senior superintendent of police’s residence.

Santosh tried to resist the criminals but was hit with the pistol butt.

Town police station house officer Sunil Kumar Sharma confirmed the incident. “The criminals managed to flee the spot after spraying chilli powder on the eyes of Sanjay and Santosh. They also opened fire in the air to terrorise passers-by,” he added.

Santosh was rushed to the sadar hospital. He told The Telegraph: “The criminals appeared to be waiting for us in Sikandarpur area. I failed to recognise any of them as their faces were covered.”

Deputy superintendent of police, city, A.K. Singh, questioned Santosh and Sanjay before lodging an FIR in this connection. Police have launched an operation to arrest the criminals.