Patna: A 30-year-old man was shot dead in broad daylight in Bihar’s Pandarak area on Monday, in an incident that has raised serious questions about law and order as police were deployed for a possible visit by chief minister Nitish Kumar.
The killing took place in the Barh subdivision of Patna district while a large police contingent was engaged in security arrangements for the brahmabhoj (funeral feast) of senior Janata Dal (United) leader Baban Sharma, an event that was expected to be attended by the chief minister.
According to police, unidentified assailants opened fire around noon near a road linking Gowasa and Sheikhpura, close to a construction site of an Ambuja factory. The victim, identified as Amrit Kumar, also known as Karu, a resident of Mahuari village, died at the scene.
Pandarak police reached the spot soon after receiving information, took the body into custody and sent it to Barh subdivision hospital for a post-mortem examination. Officers recovered a motorcycle from the site, which helped establish the victim’s identity through its registration number. His family was subsequently informed.
Scenes of distress unfolded at the hospital as relatives arrived. Family members said Amrit Kumar, who is survived by two children, had no known enmity with anyone, leaving them unable to explain the motive behind the attack.
The incident has put the local police administration under pressure, as it occurred despite heightened security in the area due to VVIP movement. Officers are now grappling with the twin tasks of maintaining security for the chief minister’s possible visit and investigating the murder.
Police officials said the motive for the killing remains unclear. An investigation is under way from multiple angles, and efforts are being made to identify and arrest those responsible.
