Relatives of a Phulwarisharif businessman who died of bullet injuries on Monday night have alleged that police personnel refused to help them take him to hospital.

The cops are yet to arrest anyone for the trader's murder, but suspended two sub-inspector-rank officers - V.K. Singh and Prabhakar - late on Tuesday evening.

Umashankar Prasad Rai (50), a resident of Ufarpura locality, was at his one-room office on FCI Godown Road making payments to a group of truck drivers who work under him around 9pm when two men barged in and fired four shots at him. Two bullets pierced his chest.

The businessman's associates, including his nephew Shashi Kumar, rushed towards Patna with Umashankar on a motorbike.

"We all were in total panic and the first thing which came to our mind was Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH)," Shashi said. "I made him sit in the middle of a bike along with a truck driver and rushed towards the hospital immediately. There are a few hospitals between Phulwari and Patna but our minds were not working and we just wanted to take him to PMCH. He was profusely bleeding but awake and mumbling. I reached the Phulwari block office road area, about 3km from the crime spot, around 9.20pm and saw a police vehicle stationed there."

Shashi approached the cops and asked for help, only to get a rude shock.

"We pleaded with the police to make some arrangements and immediately transport him in their vehicle to the hospital. Thiswent on for around seven-eight minutes but the police said their vehicle was not in a position to carry more people and hence we should move on while they would follow us. Disheartened, we started moving.

"We came near the Khoja Imli area, around 1.5km from the spot we had met the first police team," Shashi continued. "There, we came across another patrolling vehicle and we requested the cops there too. Dilip, the truck driver, who was on the bike and was holding my uncle, also requested. The police said the rear side of their vehicle was in bad shape and it could not carry more people. The team asked us to move on again and said they too would follow.

"Then, I got a call from one of the family members who asked us to go to Paras Hospital near Jagdeo Path, about 7.5km from the crime spot. We realised that PMCH was even further. We reached Paras and my uncle was wheeled inside. However, shortly after, the doctors declared him dead. It took us around 30 minutes to reach the hospital. If we had not stopped to ask for help from the cops, we would have reached earlier," Shashi rued.

Jitendra Kumar, Umashankar's elder son, was also in shock. "I don't understand; why did the police not help them? They appealed to the police twice but the cops never helped them. Why would anyone trust the police if they act like this?" said Jitendra, who helps his father with the business.

Akil Ahmed, the Phulwarisharif police station house officer, said the matter had come to his knowledge. "I cannot say or provide much information about the patrolling vehicles. They might be of a police station or might belong to the traffic police. The allegation levelled by the family is being investigated into. If found guilty, action will be initiated against the cops concerned," he said.

Doctors said a gunshot victim should reach a hospital as fast as possible. "Though I don't know the details about this case, the sooner a victim reaches the hospital, the better," said city-based surgeon A.A. Hai.

Senior officers said the police should behave more sensibly. "The matter has come to my knowledge and it appears serious," said Patna deputy inspector-general of police Shalin. "The primary job of the police is to help people in need. I have asked the Patna superintendent of police (west) to investigate the whole incident."

Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj said departmental proceedings against the two sub-inspectors had been taken.

Umashankar was in the transport business and also used to deal in plots. The police believe a soured land deal could be the motive behind his murder.

The Patna police were at the centre of a controversy in May when a local police station refused help to associates of an employee of a private firm when he was kidnapped during a road rage incident on the Jagdeo Path-Sheikhpura flyover. The Shastrinagar police station officers made his associates wait for over an hour without initiating any action.