Indian-origin media tycoon shot dead in Nepal

An Indian-origin mediaperson was shot dead in a plush locality of Nepal's Janakpur town, bordering India, on Monday, a month after media tycoon Jamim Shah was killed in broad daylight.

Unidentified gunmen shot dead prominent journalist and businessman Arun Shinghania on Monday evening while he was playing holi at his home in the border town of Janakpur.

Shinghania, the chairman of Janakpur Marwadi Sewas Samiti, was shot on his head at point blank at 6.30 pm, while he was playing holi with friends, according to a private radio.

Singhania, 50, was the publisher of Nepali daily Janakpur Today, and was also associated with the local Radio Today.

Eyewitnesses said unidentified persons approached Singhania when he was playing holi and asked him to sprinkle red powder before opening fire at him.

Last year, a woman journalist called Uma Singh, who worked for Singhania's publication, was hacked to death at her home in the same town.

The incident came less than a month after Jamim Shah, the owner of Space Time Television Network and Space Time daily newspaper, was shot dead in the heart of Kathmandu in broad day light. Shah is alleged to have links to the Inter Services Intelligence and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.