Patna, Oct. 8: A group of unidentified gunmen killed two brothers and left their nephew wounded in the Dhawalpura area under Bypass police station on the outskirts of the capital today.

Police said the incident took place around 1 am, when Sudhir Kumar, 30 and Chandan Kumar, 22 were sleeping on the verandah of their house. “About six assailants barged into their house and started firing indiscriminately. The two brothers died on the spot. Their nephew, Aditya Kumar, was critically wounded in the firing and is at present recuperating at Patna Medical College and Hospital. Though some neighbours came out, they did not muster courage to challenge the gunmen,” a police official said. The police suspected the attack was a fallout of a rivalry between the Kumars and a neighbouring family.

Ranjit, the younger brother of Sudhir, alleged that neighbour Ram Pravesh Kewat had threatened him and his family members with dire consequences following an altercation last evening. Ram Pravesh had picked up the quarrel with Sudhir and Chandan around 10.30pm yesterday while having dinner with acquaintances Satish, Jugnoo and Vijay, the police quoted Ranjit as saying.

“Around 12.30am, Ram Pravesh’s wife, Asarfi Devi, and their son, Shakti, came to our house and started abusing us. The two were accompanied by Malti Devi, Ram Pravesh’s sister-in-law. Within moments, the gunmen stormed into our house and killed my brothers,” Ranjit said. Station house officer of Bypass police station Manoj Kumar said, “Raids are on to arrest the accused.”