Patna: A young couple died in a murder-suicide at Janardhan Ghat in Digha, Patna on Friday afternoon. The young man, Rahul (24), shot his girlfriend Arpita alias Surbhi (20) before taking his own life. Both died on the spot. The tragic act was reportedly triggered by the girl’s arranged marriage to another man in April.
The couple’s bodies were discovered on the stairs of the changing room near Ghat number 93. Surbhi was shot near the nose and had rolled down the stairs, while Rahul’s body was found at the top with a gunshot wound to his right temple. Eyewitnesses reported hearing two gunshots before seeing Rahul collapse.
Victims Identified
- Rahul (24): Resident of Nande Nagar, Madhubani; a BCA student at SIMS College, Patna.
- Surbhi (20): Resident of Dharhara, Vaishali; studying at Jamunilal College, Hajipur.
Family Confirms Love Affair, Dispute Over Marriage
Rahul and Surbhi had reportedly been in a relationship since childhood. However, Surbhi’s family had arranged her marriage to another man, leading to tensions between the couple.
Rahul’s father, Shailendra Kumar, revealed that his son had spoken about wanting to marry a girl but had not mentioned Surbhi by name. He had been staying in his village in Madhubani for two months and suddenly left for Patna on Friday, citing college work.
Surbhi’s family, however, denied any knowledge of the relationship. Her brother, Saurabh, stated that she had left home on Friday claiming to go to college.
Eyewitness Account: Heated Argument Before Gunshots
Two women and a young man fishing in the Ganga River were witnesses to the tragic incident. One woman said, “We saw them arguing. This is common in this area, so we ignored it. Then we heard a gunshot. The girl fell down the stairs. Before we could react, the young man took something from his bag and shot himself.”
Gun, Bag, and Other Evidence Recovered
Police recovered several items from the spot, including:
- A gun with a used shell inside
- A live cartridge and another used bullet shell
- Rahul’s backpack containing his Aadhar card, college ID, and personal items
- Mobile phones of both deceased individuals
DSP Dinesh Pandey confirmed that the postmortem has been completed, and further investigation is underway.
Recent Rise in Murder Cases in Bihar
This tragic event comes just three days after another love-related triple shooting at Ara Railway Station, where a young man killed his girlfriend and her father before shooting himself. Between March 22 and March 28, Bihar has recorded 18 murder cases, raising concerns about rising violent crimes in the state.
