Daijiworld Media Network - Hazaribagh

Hazaribagh, Jun 9: A young man was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district on Tuesday while he was on his way to embark on a pilgrimage to Kedarnath, police said.

The victim has been identified as Vicky Soni, a resident of Okni in Hazaribagh town. The incident occurred near the Karso Bridge area under the Barhi police station limits.

According to police, Soni was travelling with his friend Abhishek Kumar Upadhyay in a car to Koderma railway station, from where they were scheduled to board a train for Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath shrine. Their journey was interrupted when a tyre of their vehicle punctured near the bridge.

The duo had stepped out of the car to change the tyre when two unidentified men arrived on a motorcycle and allegedly opened fire at Soni without any warning or exchange of words. A bullet struck him in the neck, causing him to collapse on the spot. The attackers fled immediately after the incident.

Locals rushed to the scene after hearing gunshots and attempted to shift the injured man to a hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries before medical help could be provided.

Police officials reached the spot soon after being informed and initiated an investigation. Evidence has been collected from the scene, and CCTV footage from nearby areas is being examined to identify the assailants.

Barhi police station in-charge Vinod Kumar said that investigators are exploring all possible angles, including personal enmity and criminal rivalry, to determine the motive behind the killing. Raids are being conducted to trace and apprehend those involved.

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and further investigation is underway. The attackers remain unidentified, and efforts to arrest them are continuing.