Lawyer shot dead in Bihar's Patna, third murder in city in 24 hours

Unidentified assailants opened fire on the lawyer, Jitendra Kumar Mahto, while he was returning after having tea, Patna East SP Parichay Kumar said on Sunday.

Adding to the string of murders in Bihar's Patna, a 58-year-old lawyer identified as Jitendra Kumar Mahto was reportedly shot dead on Thursday in the Sultanpur police station area, making it the third reported shooting incident in the city within the last 24 hours.

Police reportedly recovered three bullet shells from the scene and are investigating the motive and identities of the assailants. (ANI/File)

Unidentified assailants opened fire on Mahto while he was returning after having tea, an ANI news agency report quoted Patna East SP Parichay Kumar as saying.

Police reportedly recovered three bullet shells from the scene and are investigating the motive and identities of the assailants. FSL teams have been deployed, and CCTV footage is being examined, the report said.

"Criminals shot a person named Jitendra Mahato. He was taken to the PMCH hospital for treatment, where he died. The family said that he used to come here every day to drink tea. Today, he came here to drink tea and was shot while returning... Three bullet shells have been recovered from the spot. The identities of the criminals and their motives behind this incident are being investigated. FSL teams, local police, and the SDO were called after I learned about the incident. All the CCTV cameras in the vicinity are being examined... The case is being investigated from every angle," the news agency quoted the police officer.

"On the basis of preliminary information, we got to know that the accused was a lawyer, but was not practicing for the last two years," he said.

Multiple murders in 24 hours in Patna

This is the third known murder in Patna and fifth in Bihar within the last 24 hours, with a rural health officer, a businessman, a grocery shop owner and a teacher being the other four cases.

Another latest victim in the string of murders has been identified as Surendra Kumar or Surendra Kewat across reports. He was shot dead by bike-borne assailants near his farm in Sheikhpura village on Saturday along the Bihta–Sarmera State Highway, reported Live Hindustan.

Surendra Kumar, reportedly associated with BJP, was taken to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to injuries during treatment, Singh said.

Earlier the same day, Vikram Jha, a grocery shop owner originally from Darbhanga, was fatally shot outside his shop in Patna’s Ram Krishna Nagar area.

In another incident from Bihar's Sitamarhi, on Saturday, a businessman identified as Putu Khan was shot in the head at point-blank range by unidentified assailants at Mehsaul Chowk.

Meanwhile, a teacher identified as Santosh Rai was gunned down by two bike-borne assailants in Saran district's Bisahi, police said on Sunday. Rai and his friend Kangress Rai were shot at by two unidentified bike-borne miscreants in Bisahi locality under Daryapur police station limits in Saran district at 9.30 am, PTI quoted police.

"The incident took place when the duo was travelling in their car. Police immediately reached the spot and took Rai and Kangress to hospital where Rai succumbed to injuries during treatment. Kangress is undergoing treatment. The exact cause of the incident is not known. A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused," police said.

These killings come close on the heels of the murder of Gopal Khemka, a businessman and BJP functionary who was shot dead outside his residence in Gandhi Maidan on the night of July 4, considered one of the most secured localities in the city.