Bihar youth shoots 6 of family that rejected his marriage proposal; 2 dead

Lakhisarai SP, Pankaj Kumar said a special task force has been set up to track down the prime suspect, Ashish Choudhary, who is on the run

PATNA: Six members of a family were shot by their neighbour in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district on Monday morning allegedly by their 25-year-old neighbour who was upset that the family had rejected his marriage proposal, police said on Monday. Two of them died and three others were in serious condition.

Ashish Choudhary opened fire at the victims near their home in Lakhisarai town’s Punjabi Mohalla (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Lakhisarai superintendent of police (SP) Pankaj Kumar said a special task force has been set up to track down the prime suspect, Ashish Choudhary, who is on the run.

Ashish Choudhary opened fire at the victims near their home in Lakhisarai town’s Punjabi Mohalla when they were returning from a river ghat after paying obeisance to the rising sun, the concluding ritual of the Chhath festival, said Pankaj Kumar.

“Ashish was in love with his neighbour and wanted to get married to her two years ago. But the girl’s family was against it. Ten days ago, the two families again fought over the issue,” Kumar added.

Police said two brothers, Chandan Kumar Jha and Raj Nandan Kumar, died in the shooting. The injured have been identified as Preeti Devi, Loveli Devi, Durga Jha and her father Shashi Bhushan Jha.

Police said three of the injured were in serious condition and had been rushed to the Patna Medical College and Hospital about 120km away.

Chandan Kumar Jha’s mother said she survived because she stayed back to perform prayers at a Durga temple in the vicinity.

“The shooter wanted to marry my daughter but our family members refused. Some days ago, Ashish threatened to hurt us and abduct my daughter,” she said.

Police said a pistol, believed to be the one used by Ashish Choudhary, had been seized from the spot.