Patna: A junior engineer, employed with the irrigation department in Bihar, has been shot dead by unidentified persons in Saran district while he was on his way home in the state capital, police said today.

"Veermani Kumar, who was posted at Hajipur in the adjoining district of Vaishali, was shot dead in Sonepur police station area late last night. Kumar lived in Kurji locality of Patna and he was returning home when unidentified assailants fired at his car. He received bullet injuries in his chest", Superintendent of Police, Saran, Harkishor Rai, told PTI over the phone.

A police party rushed to the spot and took the engineer to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, the SP said.

Rai claimed that investigations have revealed that the engineer was involved in a property dispute and a case had been lodged in this connection at a police station in Patna.

"We suspect that those with whom Kumar was involved in the dispute, are behind the murder," the SP said.

"As of now, we are not disclosing the identity of the suspects since they may become alert and try to escape. We are hopeful of arresting them soon. The manner in which the murder took place showed that the killers were familiar with the route the engineer took for commuting to and from his place of work", the SP said.

A country-made pistol was used in the killing and the possibility of the masterminds having hired contract killers cannot be ruled out, he said.