Patna residents protest businessman's killing

Patna, March 18 : Hundreds of angry people, including traders, took to the streets and disrupted traffic here Thursday to protest the killing of a businessman by alleged extortionists, police said.

Three unidentified criminals shot dead Randhir Jaiswal, in his early 30s, late Wednesday night at Bibiganj in the Danapur police station area.

Local residents, including traders, Thursday blocked the road and burnt tyres in Danapu to protest Jaiswal's killing. The traders also decided to keep the markets closed.

Jaiswal's family members told the police that his killing was linked to an extortion demand made by a criminal lodged in the Beur central jail here.

"A family member of Jaiswal told us that the criminal had demanded money from him," a police official said.

The Bihar Chamber of Commerce condemned the incident and called for immediate arrest of the assailants.