Undertrial killed, four injured in attack at Patna civil court

PATNA: In a daring broad daylight attack, unidentified criminals shot dead an undertrial and wounded four others, including three advocates, in the civil court premises here on Thursday.

Four gunmen, riding on scooters, exploded bombs and fired at a group of undertrials brought from the high-security Beur jail as they got down from the prisoners' van, police said.

The prisoners were being taken to the court of a judicial magistrate for production.

Harivansh Rai Pahelwan, an accused in a triple murder case, who had stopped to buy tobacco while being taken to the court was killed on the spot, the police said.

Another undertrial, Madan Paswan, was critically injured and admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), they said.

Three advocates, one of them identified as Ajit Kumar, suffered splinter injuries and were given first-aid at PMCH.

All the prisoners brought from Beur jail were asked to board the prisoners' van, the police said, adding security was tightened at the court premises following the incident.

Panic gripped the court campus after the attack as lawyers scurried for cover on hearing sounds of bomb explosion and firing.

Old enmity was suspected to be the reason behind the attack, said Senior Superintendent of Police Kundan Krishnan, who is leading a team and carrying out raids to apprehend the culprits.