Bihar: Two killed, contractor shot at in separate incidents

PATNA: An eight-year-old boy and a former deputy mukhiya were killed and a railway contractor was shot at in three separate incidents in Saharsa, Gopalganj and Samastipur districts since Saturday night.

Former deputy mukhiya Santosh Rai was shot dead when he was on way to Gopalganj from his native Manjha village under Phulwaria police station area of the district on Sunday.

A stray bullet also hit a minor boy, who was crossing the road at that time.

Gopalganj SP Manoj Kumar Tiwari said the assailants, who had covered their faces, waylaid Rai near Afzal Mor on Mairwa-Fatehpur road and fired at him at close range. He was rushed to the sub-divisional hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. The reason behind the murder was yet to be ascertained. The injured boy was out of danger and undergoing treatment at the Sadar hospital. Police sources said Rai was considered close to former mukhiya Amod Rai, who was also killed in 2012.

One Satyam Kumar (8) was shot dead while sleeping with his grandfather in their outhouse at Rakhauta village under Sonbarsa Raj police station area late Saturday night. The deceased’s grandfather Vidyanand Rai told the police that six criminals armed with lethal weapons came around midnight and fired at him when he was asleep with Satyam. The bullets missed the target and hit Satyam, leading to his death. Land dispute is stated to be the reason behind the murder. Saharsa SP Rakesh Kumar said the body was sent to the Sadar hospital for autopsy.

Meanwhile, the SP has suspended four policemen — Satyendra Kumar Singh, Dhan Bihari Mishra, Jitendra Kumar Pandey and Ajay Kumar — for dereliction of duty. The officers were posted at Bihra, Sadar, Patarghat police outpost and Simri Bakhtiyarpur police stations, respectively.

In Samastipur, bike-borne criminals shot at railway contractor Nalin Kumar (30) and looted Rs15,000 from him on the NH-28 under Dalsinghsarai police station area on Sunday. He has been admitted to Dalsinghsarai sub-divisional hospital for treatment. Nalin was on way to Sahdei in Vaishali from his native village in Begusarai district. A complaint has been lodged against unidentified robbers with Dalsinghsarai police station.