A mob set on fire two police patrol vehicles and damaged public property at Hussainganj on Wednesday after criminals murdered Rasheed Sarkar (26), a furniture trader, on Tuesday night.

The mob pelted the police with stones when they tried to bring the situation under control. Six cops suffered injuries in the stone-pelting. They have been admitted to a hospital where their condition was stated to be out of danger.

The criminals attacked Rasheed when he was sleeping in his house at Mahpur village around midnight. He was killed on the spot after the assailants pumped three bullets into his body.

The Hussainganj police reached the spot around 3am. The residents were so agitated that they didn't allow the police to take the body for post-mortem. The deceased was considered close to local RJD MLA Harishankar Yadav, who too had to face the ire of the residents. Siwan superintendent of police (SP) Saurabh Kumar Sah said the reason behind the murder was yet to be ascertained. "The police will record the statements of the deceased's relatives after the law and order situation is back to normal."

Police sources said Rasheed was a witness in a murder case lodged against gangster Vishwakarma Bind, a resident of Dilawar Singharahi village in Siwan.

Residents of Mahpur attacked Vishwakarma's house and set it on fire. However, nobody suffered any burn injuries in the incident.

Some residents also blocked the Siwan-Andar road for more than five hours and paralysed traffic. They also forced closure of shops and business establishments. Siwan SP Shah said the road blockade was removed and traffic restored on assurance that the culprits will be brought to book at the earliest.

The deceased's father Zahir Ansari said Vishwakarma had threatened his son with dire consequences if he deposed in court and gave a statement against him. "This is the reason some people attacked Vishwakarma's house. His involvement in the case can't be ruled out," Zahir told The Telegraph over phone.