Patna: Unidentified criminals shot dead a stationery shopowner with a criminal past while he was offering prayers at a temple in Muzaffarpur on Saturday morning. The incident took place in Dera Chowk market area under Siwaipatti police station area, said police.The deceased was identified as 46-year-old Shyam Sundar Kushwaha. According to police, he reached the temple around 5.30am for his daily prayers when three motorcycle-borne assailants arrived and opened fire at him from close range. Kushwaha sustained four bullet injuries and collapsed on the spot. Local residents rushed him to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), where doctors declared him dead.Police reached the scene soon after receiving information and launched an investigation. A forensic science laboratory (FSL) team examined the crime spot and collected evidence. Four empty cartridges were recovered from the spot. Police also examined CCTV footage from cameras installed in the surrounding area.SP (Rural) Rajesh Singh Prabhakar said the victim’s family members are being questioned and their statements are being recorded. According to him, the family has named certain individuals with whom Kushwaha allegedly had a long-standing dispute.The officer said police are also examining the background of the dispute and previous cases linked to the rivalry to ascertain the motive behind the murder. “Raids are being carried out at multiple locations, and around a dozen suspects have been detained for questioning. The accused will be arrested soon. Meanwhile, the victim’s body has been sent to a govt hospital for postmortem,” Prabhakar said.Police records show that Kushwaha had three criminal cases registered against him, including those related to murder, assault, and prohibition laws. Two land dispute cases involving him are currently pending. Investigators suspect the murder may have stemmed from an ongoing rivalry linked to those disputes, though the exact motive is yet to be established.
