In a shocking incident in Arwal district, gold trader Manoj Kumar alias Manoj Seth was shot dead by unidentified assailants on a motorcycle near Dhodhra Morh in the Kurtha police station area on Thursday evening around 5 PM. A fellow shopkeeper, Radhakrishna Mishra, who was returning home with Seth in an auto, also sustained a bullet injury to his leg. Mishra was referred to Arwal Sadar Hospital after initial treatment.

Manoj Seth, a resident of New Mubarakpur, was returning home after closing his jewelry shop in Motipur. Radhakrishna Mishra, also from New Mubarakpur, runs a cosmetics shop in Motipur. According to reports, the assailants fired three rounds at the auto near Dhodhra Morh before fleeing on their motorcycle. Eyewitnesses confirmed the firing, and spent cartridges were recovered from the scene.

Upon receiving information, Kurtha Station House Officer Chandan Kumar Jha, Manikpur SHO Smita Upadhyay, SDPO Kumar Sanjeev, and Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar Gorakh Jadhav reached the spot with their teams. Police officials inspected the crime scene and initiated an investigation. Police forces have been deployed in the area, and raids are underway to identify and apprehend the attackers.

Police are also investigating possible links to previous criminal incidents involving Manoj Seth. He was reportedly robbed in 2024, and unidentified motorcyclists had attempted to target him on April 1 and April 15, 2026. All these angles are being thoroughly investigated.