Patna, Oct. 14: A 40-year-old contractor was shot dead at a central government office this afternoon, punching holes in the police administration’s tall claims about the improved law and order situation in the state capital.

The incident occurred around 2pm, when Basant Kumar Singh, a Grade V contractor working for the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), went to the department’s Punaichak office under Shastrinagar police station for official work.

The deceased hailed from Mokama, around 100km from the state capital, but used to stay in a rented accommodation near Saguna More with his wife and two children.

Around 1pm, Basant went to the CPWD office, which was teeming with people, on his motorcycle and went up to the first floor to meet Manoj Kumar Singh, a junior engineer. Once his work got over around 2pm, Basant stepped out of the cabin located right beside the staircase, when two men suddenly fired at him from point-blank range.

Basant slumped to the ground, bleeding profusely. The assailants ran down the stairs to the ground floor unchallenged. Two of their accomplices were waiting there. The four persons darted towards the parking lot, where they got on two motorcycles and sped away towards Punaichak, the police said.

Basant, who suffered five bullet injuries, died on the spot.

Senior police officers, including Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Alok Kumar and deputy inspector-general of police (central range) Vineet Vinayak, rushed to the spot soon after the crime.

The police were unable to make any breakthrough into the incident till reports last came in. But sources said a tussle over a contract could be a probable reason behind the killing.

The police are hoping that the footage of the four closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on the exterior walls of the building might lend substantial leads to their probe.

“We are examining the hard disks of the CCTV cameras, particularly of those pointing towards the main gate of the compound. If the cameras were operational, they must have recorded something that can help us in our investigations,” the Patna SSP told The Telegraph.

The investigators were surprised at how the four men could possibly loiter around for 10 minutes without drawing attention of securitymen after entering the building by signing in the register at the desk of Amit Kumar, an unarmed private security guard posted at the entrance.

The entry read “Manoj Kumar + 3”, implying Manoj was accompanied by three persons. The police reckon the name to be fictitious but are banking on the footage from the CCTV cameras, one of which is placed right above the entrance of the building and is expected to have recorded the images of the attackers.

“There were four assailants in all, which implies they must have arrived and left on two motorcycles. Investigations are on at present and things are still to become clear,” said an officer of the Shastrinagar police station.

Sources added that Basant had bagged a Rs 3-lakh contract for the renovation of the excise department office in Mokama.

“He is not a big-time contractor. A Grade V contractor means that he was eligible for contracts not exceeding Rs 10 lakh. It is a very serious incident and things are being looked into,” the police officer added.

The contractor’s wife and teenaged son reached the spot after getting information about the incident. The officials of the CPWD office refused to comment on the incident.

“The police are recording the statements of the eyewitnesses and those who knew Basant. The case will be cracked soon,” the Patna SSP said.

Sources said the dreaded Sambhu-Mantu gang was active in the CPWD office. The contractors reportedly have to pay cut money to the gang each time they procure a contract from the central government department.