2 killed in Bihar after clash between 2 families, days after Patna tycoon's murder

Two people were shot dead in Bihar's Nalanda district after a dispute among children of two families turned violent, police said on Monday. The incident came days after a businessman was shot dead in Patna in a case pertaining to personal enmity.

The incident occurred in Dumrawan village of Nalanda on Sunday night when the two families opened fire at each other during the dispute. The victims were identified as Annu Kumari (22) and 24-year-old Himanshu Kumar, Nalanda Deputy SP Ram Dular Prasad said.

"Upon receiving information about the firing incident, a police team immediately reached the spot and took the injured to the nearest government hospital, where they were declared dead. Bodies have been sent for post-mortem examinations. The exact cause of the incident is not known," Prasad said.

Villagers claimed a dispute among the children of two families over a game turned violent, and both sides started firing.

A case was registered and an investigation into the matter was on, the officer said.

The victims' families also staged a protest outside the hospital over the alleged lack of facilities to manage emergency cases.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav slammed the Nitish Kumar-led government over the double murder in Nalanda and said "criminals were happy and police were exhausted".

"Murder in Patna. Double murder in Nalanda!! Criminals are happy and the police are exhausted! The Chief Minister is unconscious, officers are numb and the system is lifeless! No one is listening to anyone," he tweeted.

The incident in Nalanda came days after a prominent businessman was shot dead in Patna on the night of July 4 by an unidentified assailant. Gopal Khemka, the victim, was about to step out of his car outside his residence when the firing occurred.

Preliminary findings suggest that the murder was premeditated and involved multiple individuals.

Patna Police on Sunday detained more than a dozen suspects, including one, who had attended Khemka's funeral on July 6.

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(with inputs from PTI)