Two shot dead at Anand Sheela ashram near Ranchi; personal enmity suspected

Ranchi, March 6 (IANS) Two persons were shot dead at the Anand Sheela Ashram in the Chanho police station area of Ranchi, police officials said on Thursday.

The incident has sent shockwaves throughout the region. The victims, identified as Rajendra Yadav and Mahesh, were gunned down by unidentified assailants around midnight on Wednesday, police said.

According to preliminary investigations, a group of armed men stormed the ashram in Chowda Chama village and opened fire on Rajendra Yadav. Upon hearing the gunshots, Mahesh rushed to the scene, only to be shot down by the assailants as well. Both victims had been living at the ashram for a long time.

Hearing the gunfire, local villagers rushed to the spot, but the attackers had already fled. The villagers immediately informed the Chanho police, who arrived at the scene and transported the injured victims to the hospital. While Mahesh was declared dead on arrival, Rajendra Yadav succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Following the incident, Ranchi Rural Superintendent of Police Sumit Agarwal said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the double murder. Police have launched a manhunt for the attackers and are conducting raids in various locations to track them down.

“The criminals will be arrested soon. We are exploring all possible angles, and some individuals have been taken into custody for questioning,” SP Agarwal stated.

Sources suggest that the murder could be linked to a past crime involving Rajendra Yadav. He was reportedly accused of killing his brother’s wife and young daughter, after which he had been hiding in the ashram for some time. Police suspect that this old enmity might have led to the attack.

Meanwhile, the bodies of both victims have been sent to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences for post-mortem as investigations continue.

–IANS

skp/rad