Trader shot dead by thieves

A trader was shot dead by unidentified assailants in a village in Bihar's Samastipur district while foiling a bank robbery bid, a police officer said today.
The incident took place in Harishankarpur village late last night as gunmen shot at the grocery trader Manjeet Sahni after he raised an alarm to foil a robbery bid at a Bank of Baroda branch located near his house, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Javed Ansari said.
Sahni had woken up from sleep hearing the sound of gas cutter with which the thieves were trying to cut through the grill and window of the bank office to carry out the heist, Ansari said.

Apparently panicking at the alarm raised by the trader, the thieves shot at him from close range killing him on the spot, the DSP said.
The murder of trader evoked protest by the local people who set up a road blockade demanding compensation to the kin of the victim.
Efforts were on to pacify the mob, Ansari said.