SHOPKEEPER SHOT DEAD IN PATNA, 3 HELD

PATNA: A 30-year-old man died after being shot at by unknown men in broad daylight in Karbigahiya area in Patna on Friday, police said, adding that two of them were thrashed by locals after the incident.

According to police, the deceased, identified as Rahul Kumar, was a general store shopkeeper and owned a shop adjacent to the spot where the incident occurred. “Three out of the five men have been arrested and pistols, used cartridges, and a motorbike have been recovered from the spot,” police said.

“The incident took place at around 2 pm when five men in two motorcycles came to a biscuit shop supplier and entered into a heated argument with the shopkeeper for refusing to purchase biscuits from another agency. As the argument went on, a large number of traders gathered at the spot. One of the men lost his temper and fired at the shopkeeper. Four stray bullets hit Kumar, who was also present there. He succumbed to his injuries on way to the hospital. The biscuit shop owner escaped unhurt ,” police said.

“After the incident, the five men tried to escape. However, traders chased them and got hold of two, and thrashed them before handing them over to the police. They also set their motorcycle on fire,” police said.

Agitated over the incident, a large number of traders staged a protest and disrupted traffic in the area. They also demanded immediate arrest of those still at large.

Patna SSP M S Dhillon said that the cause of the incident is suspected to be a dispute between a biscuit agency and a supplier. “They had come on there on behalf of a biscuit agency. Kumar was standing there as a spectator and he received stray bullets in which he died. Out of the five, three have been arrested. The situation is under control,” he said.