Ranchi, Jan. 29: Three men shot dead the nephew of Panki MLA Videsh Singh at Station Road in Palamau, some 145km from here, this afternoon.

The victim, 42-year-old Karu Singh, was a contractor while his elder brother, Manoj, is the vice-chairman of Medininagar Municipal Corporation.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place in the Town police station area of Palamau around 2pm, when Karu came out of Ghar Angan Hotel with his contractor friend, Dablu Singh, after having lunch. The criminals, sources said, arrived on a motorbike and fired five rounds from close range with a 9mm pistol.

“Two bullets hit target. While the MLA’s nephew took a bullet in the chest, his friend was hit on his right leg,” a local resident said.

Karu was taken to a local hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Dablu who was admitted to the emergency ward is now out of danger.

Another resident of the area said that some men had been keeping track of the victim’s for the past fortnight. Karu used to frequent this restaurant, he said.

Karu is the third member of Videsh Singh’s family to be killed in an attack.

“Earlier, his father Bihari and younger brother Dhananjay had been murdered. About eight years ago, Karu’s father was killed in a bomb blast at a local bus stand while some three years ago, his younger brother was shot dead,” a resident said on the condition of anonymity.

Palamau superintendent of police Anup T. Mathew confirmed the murder, but said that clues about the killers and reason behind the murder was yet to be ascertained. “We have registered a case and started investigations,” he said.

Sources said that tension gripped the entire town after the incident and people in the area were anticipating more violence in the days to come.

Videsh Singh’s family is considered quite influential in the area.

Thanks to family influence in the neighbourhood that Singh registered his victory as an Independent MLA after the RJD denied him a ticket to contest the recently held Assembly elections.

“After this killing, the family members may use their influence to take revenge,” a resident said, worrying about his safety if more such incidents occur in the future.