RANCHI: The man accused of killing a restaurant owner over a biryani order mix-up was injured in a police encounter late Sunday night near the ITBP camp at Sukurhutu under the Kanke police station area.
According to police sources, a team of officers had gone to arrest the accused Abhishek Singh when he allegedly opened fire on them. The police retaliated, during which Singh sustained bullet injuries to both legs below the knees. He was later taken into custody and shifted to a hospital for treatment.
The incident follows the murder of 47-year-old Vijay Nag, owner of Chowpatty Restaurant, who was shot dead late Saturday night. Witnesses said Singh had ordered vegetarian biryani from the restaurant but, upon discovering that he had been given a non-vegetarian order, returned in a rage and shot Nag in the chest, killing him instantly.
Soon after the killing, Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ranjan formed a special team to track down Singh and his possible accomplices. Acting on intelligence inputs, the team located Singh near the ITBP camp, leading to the brief but intense exchange of fire.
Tension gripped the Kanke area on Sunday morning as news of the murder spread. Family members of the deceased and residents blocked the road in front of the restaurant, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused. The protest caused traffic disruption for several hours.
Police officers and local leaders later reached the spot and assured the crowd of swift action, after which the blockade was lifted and normalcy restored. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to bringing all involved in the murder to justice within 24 hours.
Notably, this is the fifth police encounter in Ranchi district in the last 10 days, prompting fresh discussions on the rising number of shootouts in the region.