Ranchi, Feb. 25: Eleven months after the grisly murder of realtor Rajkumar Dhanuka, three persons today attempted to kill his businessman brother, Vijay (47), in the heart of the capital.

In a daring attempt to nab the trio, the 24-year-old son of a local journalist was critically injured.

The incident took place near Ram Mandir, a few metres from the official residences of the chief minister, the chief justice of Jharkhand High Court and the Speaker on Kanke Road.

Police said Vijay Dhanuka was on his way to Morabadi grounds — his morning walk haunt — in a four-wheeler around 7am when the trio fired a shot, but missed target.

They tried to speed away, but one — later identified as Munna Pandey — fell off the bike. Abhinav, the son of a journalist of a vernacular daily, along with three constables tried to nab him. During the scuffle, a bullet got fired from the assailant’s pistol and hit Abhinav in the thigh.

City DSP Anuranjan Kispotta said the youth had been admitted to Gandhi Nagar Hospital and was out of danger.

Police have recovered one pistol and two rounds of bullets. They said Munna was originally from Benares in Uttar Pradesh but now lived in Dhanbad. His two aides are absconding.

Realtor Dhanuka was shot dead at a shopping complex, near Ranchi SSP Praveen Kumar’s office, on Kutchery Road in March last year. Police are investigating possible links between the two incidents.

The business community in the capital, meanwhile, blamed the police. “They have failed to control crime. Goons roam free in the city,” said Anchal Kinger, president, FJCCI.