India, May 27 -- A jeweller was shot dead by unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants during a robbery bid at a crowded weekly market in Chhattisgarh's Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district, police said on Wednesday.

Pradeep Soni, 46, a resident of Pendra town who owned a jewellery shop in the same area, was attacked on Tuesday evening at the weekly market in Kotmi village, around 16km from Pendra, while he was packing up his ornaments after the market closed, a police official said.

According to preliminary investigations, three men arrived on a motorcycle and attempted to snatch a bag containing jewellery from Soni. When he resisted, the assailants opened fire, critically injuring him in the middle of the crowded marketplace, the official s...