A journalist was shot dead by unidentified people in Bihar’s Araria district on Friday, the police said.

Vimal Kumar Yadav, 35, who worked for Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, was killed at his residence in Premnagar village.

“The assailants knocked at the gates of Yadav’s house around 5.30 am and opened fire as soon as he opened the gates,” the police said.

Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Singh said that Yadav’s body has been sent for postmortem.

“An investigation is underway,” Singh said, according to PTI. “Forensic experts and the dog squad have been called in. The deceased was said to be involved in an old dispute with a neighbour. All angles are being probed into.”

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that he has directed officials to look into the incident.

“I felt really sad…” Kumar said. “The matter is being probed and the culprits will be brought to book.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is in Opposition in the state, claimed that such criminal incidents have become common in the state.

“Criminals are roaming freely while innocent citizens, including journalists, and even police personnel are being killed in Bihar,” state BJP president Samrat Choudhary alleged, according to PTI.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan said: “Nitish Kumar and his allies keep shouting that democracy is under attack in Bihar. But they are unable to protect the fourth estate.”