Rohtas: Two property dealers were shot dead in Bihar’s Rohtas district on Sunday evening after a dispute over land escalated into gunfire, underscoring growing concerns about law and order in the state. The incident took place in Dumaria village under the Sasaram Muffasil police station area, triggering panic among local residents.
The victims were identified as 45-year-old Rupesh Singh, a resident of Uchaila village in Tilouthu, and Vinay Prajapati, also from Tilouthu. Both men were reportedly involved in the property business. According to police, the two had gone to Dumaria village to attend a panchayat called to resolve a long-running land dispute.
Witnesses and preliminary investigations suggest that a heated argument broke out during the mediation, following which one side opened fire. Police said several rounds were fired, with the victims sustaining multiple bullet injuries. Both men died on the spot, their bodies later found in the same vehicle in which they had arrived.
Senior police officials, including Rohtas superintendent of police Roshan Kumar, rushed to the scene after receiving information about the shooting. The bodies were sent to Sasaram Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination, while a forensic science laboratory team was deployed to collect evidence from the site.
Police have named a local man, Pappu Singh, as a prime suspect, citing his alleged criminal background. “The investigation is underway and raids are being conducted to arrest the accused,” Kumar said, adding that the case was being examined from all angles. Family members of the deceased claimed the victims had been called to the village on the pretext of settling the dispute and denied any immediate provocation.
In view of the sensitivity of the incident, additional police forces from nearby stations have been deployed in Dumaria village to prevent further tension. The double murder has once again brought Bihar’s crime situation under scrutiny, with residents questioning the effectiveness of policing in curbing violent disputes.
