A property dealer was shot dead by bike-borne gunman in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on Thursday morning. The incident reportedly took place around 9:00 am on Thursday in Arihant Nagar, within the Sarnath police station area, when Mahendra Gautam, a local coloniser and property dealer, was gunned down shortly after leaving his residence.
CCTV footage of the attack, which has since emerged, shows the calculated nature of the assault. The video clearly captures one assailant operating the motorcycle while a second perpetrator, wearing black burqa, sat pillion before opening fire on the victim.
According to police, Gautam had barely travelled a short distance from his home when the bike-borne attackers approached from behind and shot multiple rounds before speeding off towards Ring Road. The victim collapsed immediately after being struck by the bullets.
Despite police arriving promptly at the scene and rushing Gautam to hospital, he was declared dead on arrival.
DCP Varuna Pramod Kumar confirmed that a case has been registered based on a complaint filed by the victim's father. Authorities have established a joint task force comprising the Cyber Team and Crime Branch to investigate the murder.
