Samastipur: A village head was shot dead in Bihar’s Samastipur district late on Tuesday night following a dispute that escalated into a violent altercation, highlighting a recent surge in crime in the state.
Sunil Kumar, 35, the elected sarpanch of Bishpur Beri Panchayat under Mohiuddin Nagar police station, was fatally shot at around 1am. According to family members, the incident stemmed from a quarrel with a local driver earlier in the evening, which had led to a confrontation between the sarpanch and the family of Vipin Kumar, a resident of the same village.
Witnesses say the initial fight was defused by villagers, but tensions reignited hours later. Vipin Kumar allegedly returned to Sunil Kumar’s residence and opened fire, killing him on the spot. Eyewitnesses reported that several rounds were fired during the incident, creating panic in the area.
Sources said a panchayat meeting had previously been held to mediate the ongoing dispute. Vipin Kumar had reportedly been firing in the air since Tuesday evening, further escalating tensions in the village.
Police arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, recovered the body, and sent it to Samastipur Sadar Hospital for postmortem. They have launched an investigation, but officials have yet to issue a formal statement.
A man from the accused party was also injured in the clash and has been referred to a higher medical facility for treatment. The incident has left the village in shock, with a heavy police presence maintained to prevent further unrest.
