Khagaria: A dispute over seating passengers on a boat in Mathar village of Mufassil police station area ended in tragedy on Friday when armed men opened fire on two youths, killing one and leaving another seriously injured.
The deceased has been identified as 24-year-old Kunal Kumar, son of Sanjeev Yadav, a resident of Mathar. The injured, 25-year-old Saurabh Kumar, also hails from the same village. According to local accounts, the incident stemmed from an argument between two groups operating boats during routine operations in the Diara area. Tempers flared when both sides accused each other of encroaching on passengers.
Later that afternoon, Kunal and Saurabh were ambushed while returning home. Gunmen fired two rounds in quick succession, striking Kunal in the head and Saurabh in the hand. Both were rushed to a private hospital in the town. Doctors referred Kunal to Begusarai for advanced treatment, but he died soon after arrival.
Police transferred the body to Sadar Hospital for post-mortem. The injured Saurabh remains under treatment. Additional Superintendent of Police Mukul Kumar Ranjan confirmed that raids are being carried out to trace the assailants, who fled the scene.
The shooting has sparked outrage in the area, where tensions over river transport and rival boat operators have long been a source of friction.
