Patna, May 30 In a major development in the Boring Canal Road firing case, two absconding accused, Rohit alias Alter and Shibu, surrendered before the court here on Friday.
While Rohit hails from the Mahendru area, Shibu is a resident of Kankarbagh. The third accused, Shanu, remains on the run. Police have moved to court seeking a warrant and public notice against him.
The firing incident, which occurred on May 24, sparked panic across Patna after several youths allegedly opened fire from a moving Scorpio SUV on the busy Boring Canal Road, under the jurisdiction of the Sri Krishna Puri police station.
The brazen act, captured in a viral video, sent shockwaves through the city and raised serious concerns about law and order.
According to police sources, both Rohit and Shibu are likely to be taken on remand for interrogation to ascertain the motive and identify other potential conspirators.
Rohit, who is pursuing a hotel management course in Punjab, returned to Patna with his girlfriend on May 17, just days before the incident.
In a stunning twist to the case, it is being reported that ADG (law and order) Pankaj Darad was coincidentally passing through the area when the firing was taking place. It is, however, not clear whether the ADG was in the car at that time.
The car is reported to have given chase to the SUV, but due to a lack of tight security arrangements, all the criminals managed to escape.
So far, 18 policemen have been suspended for negligence, and a comprehensive internal probe has been launched.
Police continue to exert pressure on several suspicious individuals, though no breakthrough has been reported in locating the absconding accused, Shanu.
The administration remains under pressure to deliver results as public confidence has been shaken.
The incident has not only embarrassed the law enforcement apparatus but has also sparked public outrage, especially given the criminals' ability to flee after crossing multiple police station boundaries undetected.
This firing incident has given an issue for opposition leaders to target the Nitish Kumar government over the law and another issue in the state.
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