Satna killing: Police suspect man killed self after shooting lover

Preliminary investigations into the killing of a 17-year-old Brahmin girl and her 24-year-old Kshatriya lover in Satna district have taken yet another turn.

Preliminary investigations into the killing of a 17-year-old Brahmin girl and her 24-year-old Kshatriya lover in Satna district have taken yet another turn.

The police suspect that the man, Bhupat Singh Tomar, killed his girlfriend, Chetna Gautam, first and then shot himself to death.

Bhupat was found shot in the chest from a close range near Chetna’s house in Pavaiya village on April 11, while the girl was found critically injured with bullet wound in the abdomen at the same spot. She succumbed to her injuries later at a hospital.

Chetna’s family wasn’t happy with her relationship with Bhupat

Earlier, it was suspected to be a case of honour killing.

However, according to a senior Satna police official, after fearing arrest for shooting Chetna, Bhupat used the same country-made pistol to shoot self from point blank range in the stomach.

The police have sent samples from the scene of crime for forensic analysis at the forensic science lab in Sagar. The samples include Bhupat’s blood-stained shirt, the empty cartridges and samples of chemical hand washing of the deceased man.

According to the police, family members of Chetna were unhappy with their daughter’s relationship with her neighbour Bhupat and had warned his family to dissuade the youth from meeting their daughter.

Bhupat’s family fixed his marriage to another woman against his wishes

Bhupat’s family had, meanwhile, fixed his marriage to another woman against his wishes.

“However, Bhupat wanted to elope with Chetna and marry her instead. That is why he met with Chetna near her house on April 11. He pressurized her to elope with him but Chetna refused. Enraged over Chetna’s refusal to elope with him, Bhupat possibly shot her in the lower abdomen,” the senior police official said, requesting anonymity.

While Bhupat’s family had lodged a case of murder against five of Chetna’s relatives on April 11, Chetna’s family lodged a similar murder case against Bhupat and his family members a day later. Both the cases are under investigation.

Satna police sources told Hindustan Times on Tuesday that both the families seem to be targeting each other to hide the real story behind the incident.

Inherent enmity between the upper caste Brahmins and Thakurs is well known in Satna district, which borders Uttar Pradesh. While Bhupat was a Thakur, Chetna was a Brahmin owing to which both the families were against the relationship.