Patna: A man accused in a major bank robbery case was shot dead in a hail of bullets in a residential locality of Patna on Monday evening, in what police described as a targeted killing that sent shockwaves through the area.
The incident took place around 5.45 pm in P-Sector, Vidyapuri, under the Patrakar Nagar police station limits. According to police, unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire at close range, discharging more than 10 rounds before fleeing. Residents rushed indoors as panic gripped the neighbourhood, leaving the streets deserted within minutes.
The victim was identified as Aman Shukla. He was rushed to hospital in a critical condition but died during treatment. Investigators recovered multiple bullet casings from the spot, suggesting the attackers had fired from close proximity.
Senior police officers, including City SP East Parichay Kumar, reached the scene along with personnel from five police stations. The area was sealed off while forensic teams collected evidence.
Police said Shukla had been visiting the Vidyapuri Park area regularly for the past six months to bring his child for therapy. On Monday, he was returning from a therapy session when he was intercepted near the park and attacked.
According to the police, Shukla had a criminal background and was an accused in the 2020 robbery at a Punjab National Bank branch in Patna’s Beur area. In that incident, a group of armed men stormed the bank, held staff and customers hostage at gunpoint, looted Rs 52.33 lakh from the vault and damaged the DVR system to evade identification.
Investigators are now probing whether the killing was the result of an old rivalry, an internal dispute within criminal networks, or linked directly to the earlier robbery case. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being examined and residents are being questioned as part of the investigation.
Police officials said efforts were under way to identify and arrest the attackers, adding that multiple teams had been formed and leads were being pursued.
