Patna: A late-night shooting in Byapur village near Patna left a local PACS president dead and the husband of a block chief fighting for his life. Police suspect that an old dispute or electoral rivalry may have led to the attack, but the motive has not been established.
The victim, Sanjit Kumar, also known as Bhalu, headed the Primary Agriculture Credit Society (PACS). Pintu Kumar, husband of Maner block chief Rinki Devi, was wounded in the same incident and remains in critical condition.
The firing took place on Sunday night in the courtyard of Sanjit Kumar’s residence in Byapur, which falls under Maner police station. According to preliminary information, the two men were sitting together when four assailants arrived on two motorcycles and began shooting.
Sanjit Kumar was reportedly targeted first. Pintu Kumar was shot when he tried to intervene, police said.
Residents helped take both injured men to a private hospital in Danapur. Sanjit Kumar later died during treatment. Pintu Kumar continued to receive medical attention.
Police Search for Four Attackers
The assailants escaped after the shooting. Maner police reached the village after receiving information about the incident, and Danapur DSP-2 Amarendra Kumar Jha also visited the area to oversee the inquiry.
Police are examining CCTV footage in an effort to identify the attackers and establish how they reached and left the village.
Jha confirmed the nature of the injuries sustained by the two men. Sanjit Kumar had been shot in the chest, while the bullet struck Pintu Kumar in the thigh, he said.
The investigation is now focused on identifying those involved and determining what led to the shooting. No confirmed information about the suspects has been released in the report.
Old Enmity or Electoral Rivalry Under Probe
Investigators are examining whether a longstanding personal dispute or local electoral rivalry was behind the attack. These remain preliminary possibilities, and police have yet to establish a clear motive.
The incident has unsettled Byapur and neighbouring areas, where residents gathered after news of the shooting spread. The fact that one man was killed and another critically injured in an attack at a village home has added to local concern.
Police are continuing their investigation and efforts to trace the assailants. Further details about the suspects and the reason for the attack are expected as the inquiry progresses.