Two persons were shot dead and as many injured when some armed assailants fired at a speeding vehicle here, police said today.
The motorcycle-borne attackers were apparently waiting for the vehicle and as it approached, they fired at it killing two and injuring two other occupants of the four-wheeler and fled from the spot late last night, Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh said.
The attack was so sudden and fierce that the vehicle dashed against the boundary wall of a college and broke it, he said.
"Several rounds of bullets were fired. We have been able to recover 10 empty cartridges, a few of them are of AK-47. We have identified two gangs and are working at nabbing the perpetrators of the attack," the SP said.
The deceased have been identified as Mantu Sharma (30) and Ashutosh Pandey (26). Both were residents of Motihari town and were declared brought dead at the Sadar Hospital, he said, adding, both had criminal antecedents.
Mantu was an accused in cases of murder, kidnapping, and dacoity, Singh said.
Both the identified gangs had been involved in murder, loot, dacoity, and narcotics smuggling, but had recently started operating in the real estate sector also, he said.
"We are also suspecting the involvement of gang lord Kamal Singh. He was arrested recently and he suspected Mantu and his associates were behind his arrest," the SP said.
The two injured were identified as Vivek Kumar Tiwary and Avaneesh Kumar Singh. Both were in critical condition and referred to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).
Tiwary was shot at his head, Deputy Superintendent of Motihari Sadar Hospital Manoj Kumar said.
