Bihar: In a major strike, unidentified gunmen shot dead ten persons a brick kiln owner and nine labourers, mostly dalits at Dinar village under Asthawan police station in Bihar's Nalanda district, police said.

Superintendent of Police, Nalanda, Amit Lodha told that around 12 heavily armed persons stormed Pankaj brick-kiln late last night (June 4, 2004) and sprayed a hail of bullets at the labourers working there.

The owner of the brick-kiln Kamata Prasad and eight labourers were killed on the spot. Another succumbed to injury on way to hospital, he said adding six persons who sustained gunshot injuries, were admitted to Sadar hospital for treatment.

Besides Kamata Prasad, other deceased were identified a Karu Dhari, Krishna Tanti, Ram Sanjeevan, Suresh Paswan, Raj Kumar Paswan, Bushundhar Paswan, Sitaram Kevat and Vinod Ravi Das. The body of another victim was yet to be identified, Lodha said.

A dispute over the running of the brick-kiln was stated to be the reason behind the attack, he said adding Vijay Kumar proprietor of an adjoining brick-kiln, was taken into custody in this connection.

An FIR (First Investigation Report) was lodged with the Asthawan police station in this connection.

Senior officials, including Lodha, were camping at the spot. Raids continued at different places to apprehend those involved in the killing.