Schoolteacher shot dead in Gopalganj

PATNA: A 40-year-old teacher of a government middle school was shot dead by unidentified criminals at Jamunaha Bazar under the Kateya police station area in Gopalganj district on Monday, triggering protests by family members of the victim and locals.

Police said the incident took place around 8am when the victim, Dilip Singh alias Pandit, was sitting at the shop of his brother Rajendra Singh. Four motorcycle-borne criminals reached the shop dealing in building construction materials and pumped four bullets into Dilip’s chest and abdomen. He was rushed to a local primary health centre from where he was referred to a government referral hospital. The doctors posted at the referral hospital, however, declared him brought dead.

Rajendra said his brother was a teacher at a government upgraded middle school at Bhrigichak in the district.

As the news about the murder spread, a number of people assembled at Jamunaha Bazar and demonstrated in front of the Kateya police station, demanding immediate arrest of the killers.

Gopalganj SP Anand Kumar said CCTV footages were being obtained from the locality to ascertain the identity of the criminals. “The prime suspect in the case has already been identified and raids are on to arrest him and his associates,” the SP said.

Sources close to the victim’s family said a local criminal had demanded a huge extortion money from Rajendra Singh, which he refused to give.

SHO of Kateya police station Suman Kumar Mishra said the family had not lodged any complaint regarding extortion demand.