Patna, June 29 (IANS) A sensational murder case has emerged from Bihar’s Saran district, where Pankaj Kumar Rai, a key witness in the 2024 double murder case involving a lawyer and his son, was shot dead in the Chanchaura Panchayat area under the Mufassil police station limits.

According to an official, Pankaj Kumar Rai was returning from a wedding ceremony in a neighbouring village along with his brother, Manish Kumar Rai, late Sunday night.

Near Methwalia Chowk, unidentified assailants riding three motorcycles allegedly intercepted them and opened indiscriminate fire.

Pankaj sustained a gunshot wound to the head and died on the spot, while his brother Manish suffered a bullet injury near his ear.

Both injured men were rushed to the hospital by local residents.

Doctors declared Pankaj dead, while Manish was referred to PMCH in Patna due to his critical condition.

On Monday morning, angry villagers and family members staged a road blockade with Pankaj’s body on the Chhapra-Patna main road.

Protesters demanded immediate arrests and questioned the role of the police in providing security to a witness in a sensitive criminal case.

The blockade caused long traffic jams on both sides of the highway.

The family alleges that the murder is directly connected to the 2024 killing of lawyer Ram Ayodhya Rai and his son, advocate Sunil Kumar Rai.

The father and son were allegedly shot dead on June 12, 2024, while they were travelling to court in connection with a land dispute.

According to relatives, Pankaj Kumar Rai and his father Ramdev Rai were important witnesses in that case, and Pankaj was scheduled to testify in court.

The family suspects that the murder was carried out to influence or eliminate a crucial witness.

Senior police officials, including ASP (Sadar) Rampukar Singh, reached the hospital after receiving information about the incident.

Police teams conducted raids at several locations linked to the suspect.

Authorities have detained two individuals for questioning, and raids are continuing to apprehend other suspects.

However, police officials have not yet officially confirmed the motive behind the murder and stated that all possible angles, including personal enmity, the previous double murder case, and other disputes, are being investigated.

–IANS

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