The owner of a computer training institute, who was also into money lending, was shot dead by an unidentified person at Kulti in West Burdwan on Monday afternoon.

Local people rushed Uma Shankar Chowhan, 35, to Asansol district hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Doctors at the government hospital said two bullets had pierced his chest killing him instantly.

Police, who arrived at the spot after the murder, said apart from running his computer training institute, Chowhan was involved in money lending also.

“We are probing whether he has developed any enmity over his money lending business. We have alerted all neighbouring police stations, including those in Jharkhand, as the border is only 15km away,” said an investigating officer in Kulti.

People at Chinakuri bazaar, where the murder took place, said Chowhan
returned to Kulti after a month-long treatment at a hospital in Chennai.

“He (Chowhan) was sitting at his office at Chinakuri when a youth covering his face with a towel came inside and told us that one Rahul Paswan sent him with his payment. But we told him that we never knew anyone named Rahul Paswan who had borrowed money from us,” said Rajkumar Sharma, an employee of Chowhan.

He said that when they failed to recognise Paswan and refused to accept the money, the youth went out and was seen speaking to someone over the phone.

“Suddenly, he returned and pulled out a firearm from a bag he was carrying and fired five rounds at Chowhan,” Sharma recalled.

The assailant escaped on a motorcycle.