Patna: A 37-year-old man was found dead by the roadside near a heap of bricks at Serukaha village under Mashrakh police station area of Saran district on Friday. The victim, identified as Ravi Prakash, was shot dead from close range. The motive behind the murder is yet to be established, police said.According to the police, the incident came to light early in the morning when village women went out to dispose of cow dung and noticed a man lying motionless by the roadside. As they approached, they identified him as Ravi Prakash and alerted local residents. Soon, a large number of villagers gathered at the spot and informed the police.Police said Ravi, who was associated with religious activities and performing aarti at Dharamasti market. On receiving information, SDPO Sanjay Kumar Sudhanshu, inspector Indrajit Mahto and Mashrakh SHO Ujjwal Kumar reached the spot with a police team. The officers inspected the crime scene, questioned local residents and initiated the process of sending the body for post-mortem.The SDPO said police launched an investigation immediately after receiving information about the killing. “A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team has collected scientific evidence from the spot. Police are examining multiple angles to identify those behind the crime and ascertain the motive,” he said.The murder has left the victim’s family devastated. Ravi had lost his wife around four years ago and was single-handedly raising two sons and a daughter. He is survived by his three children.