By Our Reporter sarad-kumar-gauchanThe brutal killing of Sharad Kumar Gauchan, chairman of the Federation of Contractors’ Association of Nepal (FCAN), at Shantinagar, Kathamndu Metropolitan City-32 on Monday afternoon showed the deteriorating law and order situation in the Kathmandu Valley. Gauchan, 58, was believed to have killed when he denied giving ransom to a certain group. Coincidentally, Gauchan was killed in broad daylight when Janardan Sharma, believed to be the most competent minister, was leading the Home Ministry.  Again, the killing signaled the revival of the dons in the valley and an increase in criminals.  Activities of dons had decreased following the killing of Chari (Dinesh Adhikari) and Ghaite. The killing of an honest contractor just a month before the elections has also increased security threat to the politicians and others preparing to contest the polls. Gauchan was shot at 2:35 pm when he was on his way to Anamnagar-based office of the FCAN riding his Toyota car with registration No. Ba13 Cha 4948. Two assailants at a narrow road just 100-metre away from Gauchan’s home opened fire at him. According to police, first the pillion rider distracted the attention of Gauchan's driver by smashing the glass of his vehicle with a brick, and another hit Gauchan with three bullets. He was declared dead immediately after he was rushed to Min Bhawan-based Civil Hospital. Gauchan sustained three bullets. One hit his belly which had penetrated and damaged the livers, another pierced the intestine and the third hit the heart. After Gauchan’s killing, his family members and contractors demonstrated at New Baneshwor demanding a prompt arrest of the assailants and security to the contractors. They also chanted slogans against Home Minister Sharma and announced that they would halt construction works until the police arrest the guilty involved in Gauchan’s killing. Meanwhile, Don Manoj Pun Magar’s group in a telephone call claimed responsibility for the killing of Gauchan.