Two weeks, 7 killed in City

Bizmen, locals allege miscreants have no fear of the law in the area and they are ready to kill even over small provocation

How safe is Patna City? Seven murders in 15 days this month in this subdivision has unnerved the Patna police, which is otherwise reluctant to admit, that the crime graph is on a steady climb. Murders of senior citizens and home-alone women are of particular concern.

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On Monday, unidentified miscreants gunned down a youth, Ranjeet Kumar, near Mangal Talab under Chowk police station in Patna city subdivision. It was the second murder within nine hours in the area.

Police said, the incident took place at around 5 am when Ranjit alias Niniya alias Vicky, a resident of Nehru Tola Humad Gali was loading some goods on a tractor. The miscreants intercepted him and pumped four bullets into his body resulting in death on the spot.

Police claimed, the incident was a fallout of some land dispute with one Karan Gope. A case has been lodged on the basis of the statement of Ranjeet’s father against Gaurav of Tulsi Mandi area and his mother Guddi Devi. Gaurav, said to be close kin of Karan, has some land around Sampatchak, which is said to be the bone of contention.

Earlier, unidentified criminals had shot dead a youth, Prem Kumar, at Mahendru Tikiya Toli locality under Sultanganj police station on Sunday evening.

Police said, Prem was an associate of a notorious criminal. On the basis of the statement of Prem’s father, police lodged a case against three youths, including Guddu and Pintu.

Businessmen and local people allege, miscreants have no fear of the law in the area and they are ready to kill even over small provocation. Most of the murder accused seem to be people out of jobs with little or no social standing.

Police sources said, earlier miscreants had gunned down four persons - Raju in Alamganj police station area on October 13, Harinarayan Rai (50) in Deedarganj police station area on October 21, Rupesh Kumar in Alamganj on October 24 and Sonu on October 25 in the same area.

Despite the spate of murders in Patna City, police put up a brave front, saying: “Earlier, murders were common in the area but now things have improved considerably. We know that the situation can be much better. We are probing all the cases”.