JD(U) neta's kin killed in Ara, two shot at in Patna

PATNA: One Akash Patel (23), nephew of JD(U)'s Bhojpur district vice-president Bhim Patel, was shot dead in Ara and two pedestrians, including a woman, were injured when bullets fired by criminals hit them in Jyotish Path locality under the Ramkrsihna Nagar police station area in Patna on Saturday.
Akash was shot dead in Shivganj locality of Ara town, while his father Amarjeet Patel (55) sustained gunshot injuries in the attack. He is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Ara.
The father-son duo was working in their flour mill when four criminals fired at them. They had an altercation with the assailants a couple of days back.
SHO of Ara (town) police station Anil Kumar Singh said police have begun an inquiry into the incident and raids were on to arrest the attackers.
In Patna, the firing occurred during the rush hour, creating panic among the people in Ramkrishna Nagar locality.
Locals said the criminals were firing indiscriminately and the bullets hit two pedestrians. The incident occurred around 6pm when senior superintendent of police Manavjeet Singh Dhillon was holding a meeting on law and order.
The condition of both the victims was stated to be out of danger. "Though the exact cause of firing is yet to be ascertained, it seemed to be the handiwork of local criminals for area dominance," police said.
A local, Sunny Yadav, said he was also attacked by the same criminals on January 26 and an FIR was lodged at Kankarbagh police station.
However, Ramkrishna Nagar sub-inspector Shambhunath Singh said the criminals were yet to be identified. "It seems the firing was the result of fight for dominance," he added.