Patna, May 24 (IANS) A rice mill owner was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Bihar’s Pihuli village under Asaw police station limits on Saturday. The incident has sparked tension and concern among local residents.

According to Rajshekhar, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Asaw police station, the deceased has been identified as Dharmendra Singh, a local rice mill owner.

He was on his way to a garden when the unknown criminals opened fire at him and fled the scene. Dharmendra sustained three gunshot injuries.

“Villagers rushed Dharmendra Singh to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. We have begun an investigation to trace the accused involved in the incident,” SHO Rajshekhar told IANS.

The police said an FIR is yet to be registered, as the victim’s family is currently not in a condition to file a formal complaint.

However, preliminary inquiries and local intelligence have been activated to trace the perpetrator.

“We have recovered the dead body and sent it to Sadar Hospital for the post-mortem,” he said.

Local residents hinted that Dharmendra Singh had an ongoing dispute with certain individuals in the area. Some suspect that the incident might be a result of enmity, and could be linked to that conflict.

Police have taken note and are investigating this angle.

The incident has triggered a wave of panic and outrage in the village, with locals demanding the immediate arrest of the accused.

Former BJP MP Om Prakash Yadav’s son, Happy Yadav, also weighed in on the issue.

“We demand that the Siwan Superintendent of Police act swiftly and arrest the person responsible. If prompt action is not taken, we will be compelled to launch a public protest,” he said.

As of now, no arrests have been made, and police are scanning CCTV footage and local leads to identify the accused.

–IANS

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