Bikers shoot contractor on Patna outskirts

PATNA: Unidentified criminals shot dead a road contractor near Brahmasthani on State Highway-78 under the Janipur police station area in Patna on Wednesday.
Dheeraj Kumar was going to Naubatpur from Saguna Mor on his motorcycle around 9.30am and was about to cross Brahmastani when the assailants trailing him on another mobike fired at him. The 35-year-old native of Choti Tingraila under the Naubatpur police station area was into real estate business and also road construction, police said.
Janipur police station SHO Mohan Prasad Singh said the bullets were fired at Dheeraj’s shoulder and face. “We did not find any empty cartridge from the spot,” he said.
Phulwarisharif SDPO Rakesh Kumar said passersby spotted Dheeraj and his bike lying on the road, and informed police. He was rushed to a hospital nearby, but was declared dead, he said adding Dheeraj also used to lend money on interest.
The SDPO said Dheeraj along with three others was an accused in a murder case lodged in the Naubatpur police station last year. He had two wives, one living at Bikram and the other with him at Saguna Mor.
It could not be immediately known if business rivalry or personal enmity was the reason for the crime. “We are for now also not in a position to say whether the crime was an act of retribution related to the murder case in which Dheeraj was an accused,” the SDPO said.
Police said an FIR would be lodged after Dheeraj’s family members gave a written complaint post cremation.