In Bihar court premises, double murder convict shot dead by unidentified gunmen

Unidentified gunmen shot dead an undertrial prisoner, earlier convicted in a case of double murder, in a court premises in Bihar's Sitamarhi district on Tuesday, police said.

An employee of the court was also injured in the shooting and one person was arrested in this connection, Superintendent of Police Vikas Burman said.

The incident took place when the deceased, 48-year-old Santosh Jha, was being taken for production in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Saroj Sinha, in connection with an Arms Act case.

The body has been sent to Sitamarhi sadar hospital for post-mortem examination, SP said.

A Darbhanga court has convicted Jha in the murder case of two engineers in March.

The two engineers employed with a road construction company were shot dead on December 26, 2015 near Shivram village in Darbhanga district.

Non-payment of levy was said to be the motive behind the murder of the two engineers. The Darbhanga killing had then triggered widespread criticism across the country and opposition BJP had raised issue of deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar headed grand secular alliance government. 

A court employee was injured in the firing and he was hospitalised, the SP said.

One person was arrested and a loaded pistol was seized from him.

Raids are being conducted to nab other culprits in the case, he said adding that action would be taken against police officials for the lapses in the security of the court premises.