Patna: Not content with killing the eminent surgeon, Dr N K Agrawal on Diwali night, the extortionists of the Bindu Singh gang now are harassing the surgeon's family members by demanding reimbursement for the 'cost of killing'.

The phone at the slain surgeon's home in Patna kept ringing with the demand of Rs five lakh as the 'cost of killing'. Already frightened to the bone, the family-members are at a loss as to what to do.

''Mar diya, par paisa kahan mila hai...Kam se kam panch lakh jo marne mein kharch hua hai, utna to de do (we killed him, but where we got the money, at least give Rs five lakhs, which is the cost of the killing)'' a voice kept saying, a member of the IMA (Indian Medical Association) said quoting a family member.

Earlier, before the killing of the surgeon, the phone rang with a demand for Rs 50 lakh as ransom. And now after the killing the same phone rang with the demand of Rs 5 lakh, one of the family members said rueing.

When contacted, the IMA (Bihar chapter) general secretary, Dr Sahajanand Singh admitted that the IMA had been informed by the slain doctor's family about the demand.

Several doctors in Patna, including noted orthopaedic surgeon, R N Singh, and cardiologist, A K Thakur, too were reported to have received telephone calls demanding hefty sums as ransom.

The Director-General of Police, Narayan Mishra, said that the police were looking into the matter. He said that priority had been accorded to provide armed bodyguards to medical practitioners under threat from extortionists.

Mishra said that the increase in such incidents smacked of a pre-planned conspiracy to sully the image of the police and the State Government on the eve of Assembly elections in Bihar.