Ranchi, Dec 2 : Tension gripped the Sithio Basti area under Dhurwa police station in Ranchi on Tuesday after local residents erupted in anger over the murder of a 22-year-old youth identified as Arshad Ansari.

Accusing the police of negligence, the victimâ??s family and hundreds of residents staged a protest for several hours outside the Dhurwa police station. They were demanding immediate arrests of the culprits.

Protesters alleged that despite repeated complaints about rising criminal activity and the growing influence of land mafia in Sithio Basti, the police failed to take preventive action.

â??There is no regular patrolling here. We kept informing the police, but nothing changed,â?? a local resident said.

Arshad was shot dead late Monday evening when two motorcycle-borne assailants fired at him from close range, hitting him in the head. He was rushed to a nearby hospital by family members and neighbours, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Police reached the spot soon after the incident and initiated a probe. Dhurwa police station in-charge said that one of the accused, identified as Tausif, had been arrested within 12 hours of the murder, and raids are on to nab the others.

Mohammad Jilani, the victimâ??s brother, stated that Ibrar and Sanjay Kohra are involved in the land business. He said that the criminals might have been targeting someone else, and Arshad was shot by mistake.

Jilani said Arshad worked as a painter and had no link to any land dispute. He alleged that local residents Ibrar, Sanjay Kohra and Tausif had conspired to kill his brother.

The family has demanded the immediate arrest of all the accused. Police have assured that a thorough investigation is underway and that all those involved will be apprehended soon.

Heavy police deployment has been made in the area as tension continues to prevail following the incident.

/IANS