Criminals open fire in Patna, man receives 16 rounds from AK-47

PATNA: In another instance of sheer lawlessness, nearly 10 criminals opened fire from AK-47 at a slowly moving car killing one person on spot. The incident took place on the busy lane near Kachchidargah under Didarganj police station area on Friday around 3pm. Police recovered 30 rounds of empty cartridges from the spot. The supporters of the deceased blocked the Bypass in demand of the arresting of the criminals.
Hospital sources said that the deceased, Brijnath Singh, 50, received 16 rounds of cartridges while another injured, Singh’s brother’s wife Puja Devi received two bullets. Singh, who hails from Raghopur in Vaishali has always been known as Lalu Prasad’s versus. Singh’s wife Veera Devi contested the assembly election in 2000 with JD (U) ticket against Rabri Devi. Many of the members of his family is someway or other connected to politics. His son Rakesh Roshan contested the 2015 assembly election from Raghopur seat with Samajvadi Party ticket but lost.
Roshan, an eye witness but was travelling in a separate car just behind his father’s car said, “We were returning from Raghopur to our home at Agamkuan, Patna. As soon as we reached the Kachchidargah area our vehicles slowed down as the roads are congested and narrow there. The criminals who were in a large group came out from the branch of Central bank of India located beside the road and started firing at my father’s car. They probably did not have idea that I was in a separate car and they had the car number of my father only. All of them dispersed on foot and we rushed my father and aunt to a private hospital near Zero Mile where doctors declared him brought dead.”
Roshan further added that the bank is situated in the building which is owned by a RJD functionary. “I can identified each of the shooters since all of them hail from Raghopur. Someone in power must have hired them and provided them AK-47,” he added.
Singh was earlier attacked by miscreants in 1995 and his brother also was attacked later. Roshan said, “Our application for arms license and private security have been pending with the Vaishali administration for long. My aunt, Puja Devi received two bullets and have been shifted to a multispecialty hospital.”
However Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj said, “It is not yet clear that the criminals came on foot or on motorcycle. Investigation is going on and prima facie is his long rivalry with Munna Sing is the reason behind the murder.” He confirmed that the criminals used semi-automated firearms to kill Singh. Slain Singh was wanted in at least 20 cases of murder and dacoity. The SSP said that Singh and one Munna Singh of Raghopur had political and personal rivalry over the diara area flanked by the Ganga and the Gandak.