Axe falls on SHO after loot, murder in Ziradei

PATNA: Siwan SP Saurabh Kumar Sah on Sunday suspended Ziradei SHO Dayanand Prasad after criminals looted Rs5 lakh from a private firm employee before killing him at village Hanumanganj under the Ziradei police station in the district on Saturday.
The employee Abhishek Kumar (30) was shot dead by three bike-borne unidentified criminals when he, along with his colleague Manish Kumar (31), was going on a bike at around 1pm on Saturday to fill several State Bank of India (SBI) and Central Bank of India (CBI) ATMs.Criminals also looted Rs5 lakh.
New Ziradei SHO Sanjeev Kumar Singh said Abhishek and Manish had left their office with Rs20 lakh for filling the ATMs in the district. A sum of Rs15 lakh was for the SBI and Rs5 lakh was for the CBI ATMs.
“As soon as the duo reached a secluded place near Hanumanganj, the criminals intercepted them,” said Singh, adding that Manish, who was riding pillion, fled with a bag of Rs9 lakh. He said they had already replenished two ATMs in Pipra with Rs6 lakh.
The SHO quoting Manish said, “As soon as he went some distance, he heard two gunshots after which the criminals fled.” He said no empty cartridge was recovered from the spot. He also said no bullets were recovered from inside the deceased head during autopsy.
“Investigations were on to ascertain whether Abhishek was killed after he protested the loot or due to enmity,” said the SHO, adding that police were trying to get some clue from the call detail records of Abhishek’s cellphone.
He also said generally both Abhishek and Manish never took the route through Hanumanganj. “They generally used four-wheelers for carrying cash to fill the ATMs, but on Saturday, they were on a bike,” said the SHO.
He said an FIR has been lodged with the Ziradei police station in connection with the loot and murder on the basis of a written complaint by Manish.