Two shot dead in Gumla

Ranchi: A Bharatiya Janata Party activist and a trader were shot dead by assailants in separate incidents in Gumla in the last 24 hours.

Police said one Pahna Lakra, a BJP activist a shop owner, was shot dead at the counter around 7.50 pm yesterday in Jodatand village of Gumla Sadar police station area.

Cops said three masked men reached at the shop and shot dead Lakra, who was accompanied by his wife Pramila Lakra. They pushed aside Pramila before pumping bullets in the victim�s chest. Pahna died on his way to Gumla Hospital, sources said.

In the other incident, armed assailants shot dead a trader near Barkadih village under Ghaghra police station area late yesterday night.

Police suspect the murder took place as a result of the victim�s refusal to pay extortion money to People�s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) rebels. In both cases, police have begun investigation and launched raids to arrest the killers.