The brazen murder of a well known businessmen and close aide of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in Katihar town, around 300km east from Bihar capital, has rocked the state. The Opposition has put the government in the dock and attacked chief minister Nitish Kumar over his silence.

Clothes and textiles merchant Nirmal Bubna, 55, was shot dead by a few unidentified motorcycle-borne persons while he was returning home after shutting down his shop on Saturday night.

The incident took place in an area under Salmari police station. The miscreants fired 27 bullets of which 15 hit him. He collapsed on the spot and was declared brought dead at a nearby hospital where people rushed him.

Those involved in the assault went on to allegedly rob a nearby petrol pump of Rs 2 lakh. They escaped from the scene. The CCTV cameras installed around the scene of the crimes have captured their actions.

Bubna had been associated with the RJD for decades and was planning to contest from Kadwa Assembly constituency in the state elections held in October-November last year. He could not contest because the seat went to the Congress, one of the partners of the Opposition Grand Alliance.

Katihar SP Vikas Kumar told The Telegraph that the killing could be an outcome of some old enmity.

Senior police officials visit the site in Katihar on Sunday where Nirmal Bubna was killed on Saturday night. Sanjay Choudhary

“We are carrying on investigations in the case. Around five to six persons who came on two motorcycles are involved in the murder. We have obtained the CCTV footages related to it. The forensic team and dog squad of the police are also on work,” Vikas said.

Reacting to the murder of his party leader, Tejashwi, who also happens to be the leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, put Nitish in the dock.

“Respected Nitishji, is your sensitivity dead? The killers enjoying the patronage and protection of the ruling power are causing mayhem. Your criminals have become so brazen that they fire 27 bullets while dancing in a leisurely manner at one person because they know that their protector is sitting in Patna,” Tejashwi said.

The RJD leader added that it was “becoming difficult to venture out in the state due to the mayhem of criminals and murders happening all around”.

There has been a spate of murders in Bihar, causing further worry for the common people who are already anxious about the continuously deteriorating law and order situation.

Around three dozen people have been killed in various incidents across the state over the past one week. The figures include the murder of five members of a family in Madhubani district, an incident that is being seen as a caste-related killing.

Besides, 18 persons have lost their lives in Nawada and Begusarai districts allegedly after consuming illicit liquor in a state that implemented total prohibition on April 5, 2016.