Armed criminals on Monday looted Rs 12 lakh after shooting at the manager of a petrol pump in Sitamarhi, about 140km from Patna.

Former RJD MP Sitaram Yadav owns the outlet. An injured Sanjay Kumar Rai, 35, is battling for life at Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur. In Saran, another petrol pump was raided on Monday by gun-toting men, who escaped with Rs 1.8 lakh after holding the employees hostage.

Police said three youths riding a bike looted the manager of Krishna Petrol Pump near Lagma on the outskirts of Sitamarhi at 11.30am when he was on his way to deposit money in a bank at the district headquarters.

The robbers, who were in the age group of 20-25 years, asked the victim to hand over the cash he was carrying with him. When the manager resisted, one of them opened fire, causing bullet injuries in his chest.

The criminals also snatched the manager's bike, which was later recovered by the police from a deserted place. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital from where he was referred to the SKMCH. "The condition of the injured is still serious," station house officer of Dumra police station Chhotan Kumar said.

In another incident, armed robbers snatched Rs 1.8 lakh from the manager of a petrol pump on National Highway-102 near Chakia Pul under the jurisdiction of Maker police station on Monday. The motorcycle belonging to the manager Baban Kumar Rai was also looted.