Trader shot dead in Patna, bombs hurled to terrorise locals

PATNA: Unidentified armed criminals shot dead a trader near Purab Darwaza Mor under Chowk Police Station area in Patna city at around 4pm on Friday.

After killing the trader Shankar Patel, who was in his mid-40s, the assailants hurled a couple of crude bombs in the locality to terrorise locals while fleeing.

At least two people were reported to be injured due the explosions of the crude bombs. The deceased trader was a native of Kaimashikoh locality.

Chowk police station SHO Mitesh Kumar said that Patel was carrying a licensed pistol when he was shot dead.

“Shankar’s family was having an enmity with another neighbouring family at Kaimashikoh. One Ram Babu Gope from the neighbouring family, was murdered in 2001 in which Shankar was a named accused. Later in 2009, Shankar’s brother Vijay Patel was also murdered. The old enmity between two families prima facie seems to be the result of Friday’s killing too,” Kumar said.

SHO Kumar said that a few eye witnesses told police that at least four youths opened fire at Shankar when he was going to purchase some items for Ram Navami on a two-wheeler.

“The trader was rushed to Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) but was declared ‘brought dead’,” Kumar said.

Kumar said that at least three empty cartridges of 7.65mm which are used by criminals in a country-made semi-automatic pistols, were recovered from spot.

“Only after the post-mortem, it would be known that how many bullets were pumped into his body by the criminals,” he said adding raids were on to nab the killers.

“CCTV camera footage of the locality were being gathered to ascertain the identity of the criminals,” he added.

Police said that the killers perhaps were trailing Shankar from his residence and as soon as he slowed down his two-wheeler at the spot, they opened fire at him.