Patna: A 16-year-old boy was shot dead in his sleep in Patna district late on Sunday night, with police suspecting the killing was motivated by opposition to his relationship with a local girl.
The victim, identified as Raj Kumar, was found dead on Monday morning in his under-construction house in Lalabagi village, Nawada panchayat, under Barh police station limits. His mother and sister, who were sleeping in a nearby scrap house, discovered his body when they tried to wake him. He had a bullet wound to the temple and was lying in a pool of blood.
Kumar’s father had died in a road accident 10 years ago, and the family had been using government compensation to build the house. Work had stalled last year after a theft at the site.
According to neighbours and relatives, Kumar had been in a relationship with a girl from the same village. Two months ago, her family alleged that the pair had attempted to elope, though the boy was later found at home. At the time, villagers persuaded the girl’s relatives not to lodge a police complaint to avoid “insult”.
Police say initial inquiries suggest the killing was linked to this relationship. “The youth has been shot dead due to a love affair,” said Abhishek Singh, SDPO-2 of Barh. “The brother of the girl opposed the relationship. The person who fired the shot has been identified and will be arrested soon.”
