A low caste 25-year-old nursing student was shot dead in front of his wife, allegedly by her father, in a suspected case of honour killing in Bihar state of India, 24NewsHD TV reported on Wednesday.
The deceased, identified as Rahul Kumar, was a second-year B.Sc. Nursing student at Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). He had married Tanu Priya in April this year, a first-year nursing student at the same college, in a love marriage four months ago, defying caste barriers.
The incident occurred at the gates of the hostel of the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).
The victim, Rahul Kumar, studying in the second year of the four-year BSc Nursing course, was present there with his wife, Tannu Priya.
“My father, Prem Shankar Jha, arrived at DMCH and shot Rahul in his chest in front of my eyes. He fell into my lap after being hit by the bullet,” wailed Tannu.
“I was talking on my mobile phone when a person wearing a mask suddenly came and shot Rahul. I was shocked and took a few seconds to realise what had happened. The man who fired the gun was my father. My entire family was angry over my marriage,” Tannu told reporters.
She added that she called her mother and brother after the incident, but they did not take her call.
“My entire family is a part of the conspiracy. We had even gone to court and said that my father and brothers might harm us," she stated.
“My entire family is a part of the conspiracy. We had even gone to court and said that my father and brothers might harm us," she stated.
Jha was allegedly miffed over the love marriage of his daughter with Rahul, who hailed from another caste and was a native of Supaul. The police said that he used a country-made pistol to shoot his son-in-law point-blank.
Rahul’s classmates, other students and people present at the place of occurrence overpowered Jha and severely thrashed him.
He was critically injured by the time the police arrived and was admitted to the same hospital (DMCH). He was later referred to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for better treatment.
“The deceased Rahul had fallen in love with a first-semester girl of his college and married her. It was an inter-caste marriage due to which the girl’s family was angry. Her father, Prem Shankar Jha, shot dead Rahul at the gates of his hostel,” Darbhanga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Jagunath Raddi said.
The killing also triggered protests at the hospital, with nursing students blocking the entrance to the Emergency section of DMCH and disrupting medical services.