One shot in gang rivalry in Gopalganj

PATNA: One Raj Kumar Sharma (40) was shot dead by unidentified criminals at Mirganj in Gopalganj district on Saturday. he was stated to be a close associate of muscleman Vishal Singh. The murder fuelled ongoing rivalry between incarcerated don-turned-politician Md Shahabuddin and Vishal.
Police said two bike-borne youths reached the railway rake point adjacent to Hathua railway station under Mirganj police station of the district and pumped four bullets into the body of Sharma, who was facing over 19 criminal cases in Gopalganj and Siwan district.The assailants used a 9mm pistol to kill Sharma, who died on the spot.
Sharma, a native of Rampur under Mufassil police station in Siwan district, had gone to the site to oversee his work. Sources said the deceased was a witness in a case lodged against former RJD MP from Siwan Md Shahabuddin, who is serving life sentence in kidnapping-cum-murder case in Delhi’s Tihar jail.
Gopalganj SP Manoj Kumar Tiwari said a special investigation team (SIT) has been set up under Hathua SDPO to nab the criminals.
Mirganj police station SHO Mukesh Kumar said empty cartridges of 9mm pistol were found on the site of occurrence. “It is being ascertained whether Sharma was a witness in a criminal case against Shahabuddin,” he told this newspaper over phone.
Sharma was stated to be a close aide of Vishal Singh, who, of late, has let loose a reign of terror in the region. “The incident appears to be a fallout of rivalry between Shahabuddin’s henchmen and those of Vishal,” an investigating officer said over phone.