A 50-year-old man and his teenaged daughter were killed in Bhojpur, around 60km west of Patna, on Saturday.

The incident took place around 9am when Sheo Prasad Ravani alias Bam Ravani was standing at his house located in Nari village under the jurisdiction of Sahar police station of the district.

The assailants fired at Rawani from close range, killing him instantly.

Ravani's daughter Puja Kumari (17) was also sprayed with bullets when she came to save her father, who was lying in a pool of blood in a lane adjacent to their house.

She also collapsed after suffering bullet injuries. The assailants made good their escape after committing the crime.

The station house officer (SHO) of Sahar police station, Sanjay Kumar, said a past enmity is suspected to be the reason behind the murder of the father and the daughter.

"The identity of the criminals involved has already been ascertained. A manhunt has been launched to apprehend the culprits," he said.

The incident sparked tension in the village, around 20km southwest of the district headquarters town of Ara.

The police had to face the ire of the residents, who were agitated over police inaction.

Sources close to the family said Ravani had complained to the police against his cousin, who had threatened him with dire consequences.

To a query, the SHO said the role of Ravani's cousin was being ascertained. "He is under the surveillance of the police," he said, adding that nobody will be spared in the case.

The Samastipur police on Saturday arrested the prime accused in the Aakansha murder case, four days after the incident.

Dalsinghsarai deputy superintendent of police Santosh Kumar said Amit Kumar, suspected to be the prime accused in the case, was arrested from Lakho police station area in neighbouring Begusarai district.

Aakansha, a Class IX student of a school, was set on fire at her native village Harpur Bochahan under the jurisdiction of Vidyapati police station on Monday due to an alleged property dispute. The deceased's father, Sunil Kumar Rai, had lodged an FIR against five persons, including Amit.

"The police interrogated Amit for a couple of hours before producing him in the local court, which later remanded him to judicial custody," the DSP said, adding that the other accused will be nabbed soon.

SHO Mukesh Kumar was also present on the spot. "The police finally traced Amit on the basis of his call details," he added.