An undertrial prisoner Abhishek Kumar also known as ‘Chote Sarkar’ was gunned down inside the premises of the Danapur civil court in Patna on Friday.
The incident occurred in the afternoon while he was being escorted to the trial court. Abhishek Kumar was facing murder charges and several other criminal cases.
The police arrested two persons in connection with the incident after they were
caught and beaten up by the people. According to the police, both the accused are residents of Muzaffarpur.
Abhishek Kumar was rushed to the local hospital immediately after the incident where the doctors declared him dead on arrival He sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including three in the stomach and one to the head.
According to the eyewitnesses, two gunmen indiscriminately fired at the prisoner while he was being escorted to the court. The police recovered two firearms, live cartridges and several used shells from the place of occurrence.
The slain prisoner was brought to Danapur civil court from Beur Central jail for his scheduled appearance when the incident occurred. The police have initiated an investigation into the case.
The police registered an FIR at Danapur police station against the arrested assailants. There are also reports that raids were conducted at various locations to trace others who may have been involved in the incident.
Talking to reporters after the incident, Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajiv Mishra said, “Both the accused are being interrogated to ascertain their motive. We are also trying to find links to gang rivalry and also seeking to establish if there were any additional accomplices associated with the incident”.
Meanwhile, lawyers at Danapur t have threatened to launch an agitation against the shooting incident inside the premises of the court.
The incident has also sparked concerns about the law and order situation in the state. Opposition parties have pointed fingers at the state government, holding them responsible for the escalating crime rate in and around Patna.
