Ranchi- The murder of 22-year-old Arshad Ansari triggered widespread unrest in Sithio Basti on Tuesday, with residents expressing fury over what they called police inaction.
The victim’s family, joined by hundreds of locals, gathered outside Dhurwa police station, staging a prolonged protest and demanding immediate arrests in the case.
Protesters alleged that despite frequent complaints about the rise of criminal gangs and the growing control of land mafias in the area, police failed to enforce preventive measures.
“There is no routine patrolling here. We kept reporting incidents, but the situation never improved,” a local resident said.
Arshad was fatally shot on Monday night when two assailants riding a motorcycle fired at him from close range, hitting him in the head. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead upon arrival.
Police reached the spot soon after the attack and began an inquiry. The Dhurwa police station in-charge confirmed that one accused, Tausif, had been arrested within 12 hours, and efforts are underway to catch the remaining suspects.
Arshad’s brother, Mohammad Jilani, said that Ibrar and Sanjay Kohra, both allegedly engaged in land dealings, may have mistaken Arshad for someone else and shot him unintentionally. He claimed the three accused—Tausif, Ibrar, and Sanjay—plotted the killing.
The family has urged authorities to arrest all the accused immediately. Police have assured that a thorough investigation is ongoing and that all culprits will be apprehended soon.
Security has been tightened in the locality as tension lingers after the incident.
With inputs from IANS