Sharda Yadav, a 55-year-old grocery store owner in Varanasi's Birnathipur village, was shot dead by assailants late Thursday night after he refused to provide them with cigarettes while he was sleeping outside his shop. The attackers, who arrived on a motorcycle, confronted Yadav and shot him in the neck when he declined to open his shop at midnight, stating that the keys were inside his house. Despite his family's efforts to rush him to the hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival. The incident has caused outrage in the community, prompting a large gathering of villagers outside Yadav's home and a police investigation that is currently underway. Authorities, including Joint Police Commissioner K. Ajilrasan, have initiated a manhunt for the suspects. As of now, no arrests have been made, but police are actively gathering evidence and questioning witnesses.