Unidentified criminals shot dead an undertrial prisoner and injured two others on the court premises in rural Patna on Friday afternoon.
The incident took place at 2.15 pm outside the court of additional district judge (ADJ)-2 at Barh, 70 km east of Patna.
Police said undertrial Guddu Singh was being taken to the lockup after his production in the court in a case of kidnapping and murder when a group of criminals reached there and started firing indiscriminately.
Guddu, a resident of Jalalpur village in Maranchi police station area in Patna district, sustained bullet injuries in stomach and chest, the police said, adding that he died on the spot.
Two other prisoners, who were seriously injured in the attack, had been referred to Patna Medical College Hospital.
READ| Bihar: 2 killed, 15 injured in Ara court blast, 2 prisoners escape
Eyewitnesses said the attackers escaped on a motorcycle and another vehicle after firing nearly 15 rounds. The incident triggered panic among lawyers and litigants, who scampered for safety, the eyewitnesses said and added that securitymen present there neither chased the criminals nor fired at them.
The incident is seen as fallout of rivalry between two gangs of Maranchi in Barh sub-division. Tension prevails at Barh and adjoining areas and additional forces have been deployed at various spots to avoid any untoward incident.
Central range (Patna) deputy inspector general (DIG) Rajesh Kumar said Guddu was a habitual offender and had several cases pending against him. A manhunt was on to nab the men involved in killing Guddu, he said.Additional director general of police (headquarters) SK Singhal said all the 31 police officers and constables, including six jawans of special auxiliary police, deployed on the court premises had been suspended for lapses.
The incident has once again raised questions over security arrangements on court premises in Bihar. No CCTV camera was installed on the campus despite a state government directive to put all court premises under electronic surveillance following a blast at Ara court in Bihar’s Bhojpur district, 55 km west of Patna, on January 23, 2015.
Meanwhile, lawyers at Barh have announced a phase-wise agitation for better safety arrangements on the court premises.