Police spotted a youth shot dead on Thursday early morning near Banwari Chowk in Patna City, triggering posers on the safety on the capital streets at night.

Sultanganj police claimed its patrolling team found the body barely half-an-hour after the youth was shot dead. The police suspect the youth was shot around 4am. The deceased, aged around 25, was found with a bullet in his head.

“The identity of the victim is yet to be ascertained. His body has been sent for post-mortem. The police found a railway ticket from his pocket and Rs 500. According to the ticket, he had come to Patna from Durgawati in Kaimur district. We are not sure why he was killed. We couldn’t confirm whether he was carrying any belongings. But this doesn’t look like a murder for loot,” a police officer at the Sultanganj police station said.

Sources said the victim must have got down at a railway station and reached Banwari Chowk in an autorickshaw or some other vehicle.

“We are still in the dark. As of now, it seems the youth got down at some station in Patna in the small hours. He might have taken an autorickshaw, which must have dropped him somewhere near the murder spot. He must have had a bag or a suitcase with him. But it was not there when we found the body. Once he is identified, the case would be clearer,” another police officer said.

The city witnessed several crimes at late night and early morning of late. On July 6, a group of people hurled explosives in small hours, which the cops claimed to be crackers, at a patrol vehicle of Buddha Colony police station near Boring Road roundabout. The area was considered safe because of the police presence. The criminals, who are yet to be arrested, were apparently angry because they could not withdraw cash using their ATM card. No one was hurt.

Around 11.45pm on July 13, a man was shot at by a group of people near the Boring Road roundabout. Some policemen, patrolling at a distance of 30m from the spot, claimed to have not heard the gunshot. A few residents of the area gave chase to the criminals, who were trying to escape towards Hartali Mor on foot. Later, the policemen said a late night prayer ceremony at a nearby temple prevented them from hearing the gunshot.

Despite three major crimes at night in a month, the police claimed that they were patrolling the city at night well.