Former Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre turned gangster, identified as Santosh Jha (42), who was awarded life imprisonment a few months ago in connection with the engineers' double murder case in Darbhanga District, was shot dead on the court premises inSitamarhi District of Bihar onAugust 28, reports The Telegraph. Police said that three youths armed with illegal weapons fired at Santosh when he was being escorted from the court to the hazat (lock-up) after his production in a criminal case. The assailants shot at least three bullets into Santosh's head and chest from close range in the presence of heavily armed security personnel. Santosh was rushed to the Sitamarhi sadar hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Sitamarhi Superintendent of Police (SP), Vikas Burman, said the incident took place around 2.45pm. The assailants fired at least 20 rounds in the air to create panic among those present in the court compound. The Police managed to arrest only one of the shooters, identified as Vikas Kumar, a resident of Chakia in East Champaran District of the State. "The police have seized a pistol and a loaded magazine from the arrested youth," Sitamarhi SP, Burman, said.