Man shoots woman dead in Pataudi, then turns gun on himself

A 34-year-old man allegedly shot dead a 20-year-old woman before turning the gun on himself in village Nanu Kalan, Pataudi, on Saturday night. Both succumbed to

A 34-year-old man allegedly shot dead a 20-year-old woman before turning the gun on himself in village Nanu Kalan, Pataudi, on Saturday night. Both succumbed to the gunshot wounds and were declared dead on arrival at a hospital on Sunday morning. The police said they have registered a case of murder against the man after the woman’s paternal uncle lodged a police complaint.

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The police said the woman had got married a fortnight ago and had come to visit her relatives in Pataudi. She was supposed to return to her in-laws in Basai on Sunday. The man used to run an eatery in the village and is survived by his wife and three children. The bodies of the victims were discovered around 6am on Sunday, when locals noticed them near a vacant plot and informed the police.

According to the police, both the bodies were found lying in close proximity to each other. A countrymade pistol was found next to the man’s body. The police said the woman had been shot in the chest while the man had gunshot wounds on the side of his ear.

In the police complaint, the woman’s uncle, who runs a tent shop, said that she had tied the knot on June 29 in Basai and was visiting her relatives in Nanu Kalan village. “A man from our village had called her for a meeting and taken her near some shops in the locality on Saturday night. Today morning, I received information that both had been found dead. I suspect that he murdered her and then shot himself,” said the complainant.

Veer Singh, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Pataudi, said, “Prima facie, it appears that the man shot the woman from a close range and then he turned the gun on himself. We have registered an FIR.”

A police official privy to the investigation, requesting anonymity, said, “It appears that the man wanted to pursue a relationship with the woman and was agitated with her after she had reneged his advances and got married to another man. Last night, he called her for a meeting. He got drunk and after an alleged argument, he shot her dead before shooting himself with the same gun.”

The police said both sustained a single gunshot wound and died of heavy blood loss inflicted by the injuries. The bodies were handed over to their respective families after post-mortem examinations.

A case has been registered against the man under Section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act and the Arms Act at Pataudi police station, said the police.