SSB jawan shot dead in front of his mother in Bihar robbery attempt at midnight

BETTIAH: A 30-year-old Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) jawan on his way home with his mother and brother was shot dead by four men after he refused to hand over his wallet and other valuables in Bihar’s East Champaran district past Wednesday midnight, police said.

Constable Dharmendra Kumar, a resident of Bagaha village in East Champaran district’s Ghodasahan block, was with the SSB’s 18th battalion and posted at the Rajnagar camp.

Dharmendra was shot at close range and died before reaching the hospital, said his brother Manoj Kumar. The bullet had hit him in his chest.

Manoj said they were returning home with their mother, Sanwari Devi, who had been undergoing treatment at a hospital 30km away when the incident took place at about 12:30am on Thursday.

“We were almost halfway through our journey after the treatment of my mother when two criminals forced us to stop and told us to give them our money. Two more associates were standing a short distance away. When my brother protested, they fired at him from a close range and fled away from the spot,” Manoj said.

Manoj Kumar said his brother was taken to hospital in Motihari after he stopped a police patrolling vehicle that was in the area. “The hospital declared him brought dead,” said Ashok Kumar, sub divisional police officer (SDPO), Sikarahana.

“Prima facie, it appears to be a case of attempt to commit robbery. We have arrested one suspect and raids are on to nab the others.”

Dharmendra Kumar was the second SSB jawan to die in the region in 24 hours. Another jawan, posted in West Champaran district, died by suicide at the force’s Bhikhnathodi camp on Wednesday morning.