Bihar’s “Love Affair” shootout left two family members dead and two injured; the BJP criticizes Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for “Jungle Raj”

In Bihar’s Lakhisarai on Monday, a family was returning from a Chhath Puja event when two of them were shot dead and four others wounded.

After receiving initial care at a nearby hospital, the injured—two of whom were women—were transferred to Patna Medical College and Hospital for further care.

According to news agency ANI, two of the wounded are in serious condition.

Lakhisarai SP Pankaj Kumar was quoted in the paper as stating, “The matter is related to a love affair.”

Chandan Jha and Rajnandan Kumar, both thirty-one, were among the fatalities.

According to the report, police have recognized the culprit as Ashish Chaudhary and are carrying out searches in an effort to apprehend him.

“The murder weapon has already been found and retrieved. Two additional suspects are being questioned,” it said.

The accused, who was purportedly from a different caste, allegedly dated the sister of Rajnandan Kumar and Chandan Jha.

The story said that the lady had traveled from Patna for the puja and the engagement, but she was scheduled to marry another guy.

The terrible tragedy has also taken on a (expected) political dimension as the governing Janata Dal (United)-Rashtriya Janata Dal coalition has come under fire from the BJP.

Shehzad Poonawalla, a prominent member of the BJP, has attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for allegedly instituting a “jungle raj” in Bihar, especially after he allied with the RJD.

“Without regard for the law, a family in Lakhisarai was shot as they were leaving after doing puja. The prevalence of criminality has grown since RJD and Nitish came to power; Bihar is becoming Jungle Raj.”

The BJP ruled Bihar in coalition with Nitish Kumar’s JDU until he broke away from them in August of last year and teamed up with Lalu Yadav’s RJD.

The shooting happened within the boundaries of the Kabaiya Police Station.

Police officers could be seen squeezing into an extremely small path between two homes in images released by ANI. Additionally, the footage seemed to show armed police officers stationed outside a residence.

While the inquiry proceeds, the police have asked for patience.