Lohardaga, Jan 14 A person with a criminal background was shot dead in broad daylight during a gang war at the Kuru bus stand in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district on Tuesday, police said.
The deceased, identified as Subhash Jaiswal alias Chhotu, was a known criminal with a history of offences. Police had been searching for him in connection with a Rs 13 lakh robbery in Pandra, Ranchi, that took place about two weeks ago.
According to the police, Jaiswal arrived at the Kuru bus stand on a bike with an associate. He allegedly opened fire on bus agent Santu Paswan with the intent to kill. Panicked by the gunshots, Paswan fled, causing chaos and a stampede at the bus stand.
Amid the commotion, a member of a rival gang retaliated, shooting Jaiswal in the head. He collapsed on the spot, while his companion fled.
Police rushed to the scene upon receiving information about the incident. Jaiswal, who was critically injured, was taken to a local hospital and later referred to RIMS Ranchi. However, he succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.
Authorities have arrested the assailant, identified as Anamul Ansari, who also has a criminal record. Ansari is reportedly involved in several prior cases, including an attempted murder of Kudu's former zonal officer, Praveen Kumar Singh.
The incident is under investigation, with senior district officers visiting the site to assess the situation.
The shooting is linked to an ongoing rivalry between two gangs. Notably, Paswan's brother was shot dead in an earlier incident, leading to a cycle of violence between the gangs.
The Kuru bus stand shooting is one of several incidents of violence in Jharkhand over the past 24 hours.
In Hazaribagh district, treasury staff member Pintu Kumar Nayak was killed in Kasmar, while in Seraikela-Kharsawan district, studio operator Dilip Kumar Gorai was shot dead in Chandil.
In Sahibganj district, Gram Pradhan Holi Koda was killed in the Mirzachowki police station area.
The spate of killings has raised concerns about the law-and-order situation in the state.
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