Patna: A long-running family dispute over a narrow strip of land turned deadly on Friday morning in a village near Patna, when a young man allegedly opened fire on relatives, killing his aunt and critically injuring two others.
The shooting took place in Rasalpur village under the jurisdiction of Fatuha police station, on the outskirts of the Bihar capital. Police said the dispute involved a disagreement of barely a few inches of land between two branches of the same family.
The victim, identified as 50-year-old Rajmantri Devi, died at the scene after being shot in the head. Her son, Rajan Prasad, 25, and a neighbour, Devsagar Singh, 55, sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), where doctors described their condition as critical. Singh suffered a bullet wound to the head.
According to police and eyewitness accounts, the incident occurred while members of the two families were present at the disputed plot, reportedly engaged in a discussion that relatives later said had appeared calm and close to resolution.
Jitendra Kumar, the son of the deceased woman, told police that during the conversation his cousin Shivam, son of Rajkumar Prasad, arrived carrying a country-made pistol and opened fire without warning. The first shot struck Rajmantri Devi, killing her instantly. Two further shots injured Rajan Prasad and Singh, who had attempted to intervene.
Senior police officers, including Fatuha subdivision police officer Awadhesh Kumar and station house officer Sadanand Sah, reached the village shortly after the shooting. A search of the accused’s residence led to the recovery of two country-made firearms, a sword and a motorcycle, police said.
The rural superintendent of police confirmed that a special investigation team had been formed to track down the suspect, who remains at large. Raids are under way at multiple locations to arrest those involved.
The body of the deceased has been sent for postmortem examination, while additional police personnel have been deployed in Rasalpur amid heightened tensions in the area.
Police said they were examining documents related to the land dispute and previous complaints between the families as part of the investigation. An FIR is being registered, and officials said further action would follow based on the findings.
