PATNA, July 14 -- A BJP leader, a businessman and an advocate were shot dead by unidentified criminals in three separate incidents over the last 24 hours in Patna and Sitamarhi districts of Bihar. The killings came after a string of such cases within a span of last 10 days and have triggered a wave of Opposition allegations against the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government over law and order situation in the state. A prominent Patna businessman Gopal Khemka was gunned down at the gate of his house on July 4. Then, a grocery shop owner and a nurse were killed in Patna and Nalanda within 15 hours on Friday and Saturday. While the police killed an alleged accused and arrested shooter and conspirator in the Khemka case, no arrests have been made in the latest cases of killings. In the first incident on Saturday night, a BJP leader named Surendra Kewat (52) was shot dead by unidentified criminals at Sheikhpura village under Pipra police station of Punpun block in Patna late on Saturday night. Kewat was a former president of BJP's Kishan Morcha, Punpun block. He was also a veterinary doctor. Police said that the incident took place at around 10.15pm when Kewat had dinner at home and went to his field at the Bihta-Sarmera highway-78 outside his village. "As he was ready to return to his house, a group of armed criminals on bikes arrived at the field and fired indiscriminately at Kewat and pumped four bullets in his body. The miscreants sped away towards Punpun," he added. As the incident spread like wildfire in the village, a large number of villagers reached the spot and took injured Kewat to Patna AIIMS for treatment but doctors declared him dead. Police said that the preliminary investigation revealed that Kewat used to live with his family at Sheikhpura village. He was active in politics despite not holding an official position in BJP, a police officer said. SHO of Pipra police station R K Pal said that an FIR was lodged with Pipra police station for the murder and the body was sent for postmortem. In the second incident, a businessman Wasim Anwar Khan alias Puttu Khan (50) was gunned down by three unidentified criminals at Mehsaul main market in Sitamarhi district. The police recovered a used cartridge from the spot and after a few distance from the spot, they recovered a 9mm pistol and a cap used in the crime which was sent to forensic investigation. Police said that the incident took place at around 9pm when Khan was returning to his home. "The criminals on a bike chased Khan and intercepted him near the gate of his house and shot him in his head. He collapsed after being hit by the bullet. Hearing the gunshot, locals took Khan to a private hospital at Ring Road where he was referred to the district hospital. He was then taken to the district hospital where the doctors declared him dead." Khan owned a spectacle shop named 'Nayan Optical' and an inverter shop. Sitamarhi SP, Amit Ranjan, said that an SIT has been formed to crack the case. "We are scanning the CCTV footage of the incident. Prima facie, the cause of the murder seems to be related to land-related issues and sharing of money. However, we are looking at it very seriously." Relatives of Khan and locals of the area launched a protest on Sunday, demanding arrest of his killers and criticising the state government over rising crimes. In the third case, armed assailants shot dead an advocate Jitendra Mehta (50) near Training College under Sultanganj police station in Patna on Sunday. The critically injured advocate was rushed to PMCH, where doctors declared him dead. "The incident took place around 2.55pm when Mahato, a resident of Mohammadpur, was returning home after having tea at a stall near Training College when armed assailants, who were already lying in wait, surrounded him and opened fire indiscriminately. They managed to flee the scene after committing the crime," police said. Soon after the incident, Patna SSP Kartikeya Sharma, City SP Patna (East) Parichay Kumar along with police officials from various stations arrived at the scene to investigate. The City SP said the cause of the murder would become clear only after statements from the family members were recorded. Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, targeted the Nitish Kumar government over the murder and posted on his social media account, "And now a BJP leader has been murdered in the state capital Patna. To whom do we tell about this incident, and what do we say? In the NDA government, there is no one who listens to the truth, nor anyone who accepts mistakes." He also attacked CM Nitish Kumar, saying, "Everyone knows about the CM's health, but what are the two useless BJP deputy chief ministers doing? No statement from the corrupt Bhunja-DK party?" Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Saturday raised concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in Bihar. "Can anyone say anything about law and order? This is a matter of sorrow... Murders are happening, and looting is occurring. No one can be satisfied by seeing this. This is a matter of concern for everyone," he said....