Gopalganj (Bihar), Sep 30 (IANS): A businessman was allegedly shot dead by four unidentified men in Bihar's Gopalganj district, while trying to stop them from robbing his stationery shop, police said on Thursday.

After committing the murder, the miscreants looted the shop and fled away. The incident took place on Wednesday evening.

A police official said 42-year-old Hariram Singh, a resident of Sirisiya village, was sitting in his shop in Sirisia Bazar when four bike-borne miscreants wearing masks arrived at the shop. Two persons entered the shop and tried to loot the money counter. Singh tried to foil the robbery attempt, but was shot dead with a pistol.

According to eyewitnesses, after committing the crime the bike-borne miscreants fled from the spot and fired bullets in the air while fleeing.

After receiving information about the incident, police of Kuchaikote, Bishambharpur and Nagar police stations reached the spot and took the victim's body in their custody and sent it for post-mortem to the Sadar hospital.

The locals were agitated over the incident.

Gopalganj Superintendent of Police, Anand Kumar said the police was investigating the murder and a special investigation team has been constituted to nab the accused.