A jilted lover allegedly killed a youth and shot at the latter’s girlfriend in a restaurant under the jurisdiction of Gandhi Maidan police station on Thursday evening.
The girl, identified as Pratima (20), is battling for life in the intensive care unit of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH). She allegedly had an affair with the assailant, Amjad alias Aamir (26), for four years. Of late, she dumped him and started going around with the victim, Sunny (25).
Sources said Aamir invited Pratima to a restaurant on the eastern side of Gandhi Maidan over phone. She reached there with Sunny around 6.30pm. Twenty minutes later, Aamir joined them. He opened fire at the duo around 7pm following a dispute over refunding money he allegedly owed to Pratima.
Aamir used a 9mm pistol for firing at Pratima and Sunny from point blank range. Sunny died on the spot. Taking advantage of the commotion in the restaurant, Aamir fled.
The employees of the restaurant immediately informed the police about the incident. Both Pratima and Sunny were rushed to the PMCH, where doctors declared Sunny dead.
“The girl has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the PMCH. Her condition is stated to be critical,” said Raj Bindu Prasad, the station house officer of Gandhi Maidan police station. He said the girl, a second-year BA student at a Purnea-based women’s college, was preparing for competitive exams staying at a girls’ hostel at Makhania Kuan.
The police said Sunny was a resident of Nawada village under the jurisdiction of Parsa Bazaar police station in the Patna rural area. He used to perform at cultural shows, wedding ceremonies and other private functions to eke out a living.
Anil Kumar Singh, the father of Sunny, said he learnt about his son’s death from the police. “My son had no enmity with anyone,” he told the police. Anil works at a shop in the Boring Road area.
An investigating officer said Pratima came in contact with Sunny about two months ago. “She met Sunny at a mall in Patliputra Colony. Sunny offered her to perform with him in the cultural shows, which she readily accepted,” he said.
The police officer said Aamir, a resident of Purnea district, was infuriated when he learnt about Pratima’s affair with Sunny. “Aamir had not only warned him but also thrashed him on an earlier occasion,” he said.
The officer said Aamir meticulously planned the assault. He contacted Pratima over phone when he came to know that she had just returned from the Water Park near Parasa Bazaar and asked her to come to the restaurant. She contacted Sunny and requested him to accompany her to the restaurant.
Sunny, who had dropped Pratima near her hostel around 5pm, returned 45 minutes later to take her to the restaurant, along with two of his friends. The duo ordered soft drinks after reaching the eatery around 6.30pm. Aamir reached there 20 minutes later.
Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaj said: “Pratima and Aamir had an affair for over four years. Both belong to Purnea and were known to each other for long.”
The SSP said raids had been launched to apprehend the assailant. A team headed by city superintendent of police Jayant Kant has been constituted to crack the case, he added.
Manu said the girl’s father, Ramji Singh, and mother, Kulwanti Devi, rushed to the PMCH on Friday after receiving information from the police about the incident. They were visibly upset. “Don’t ask us anything. Please contact the police for whatever information you want,” said Ramji, a businessman.
The relatives of Sunny (deceased) blocked the Parsa Bazar-Punpur road and demanded immediate arrest of Aamir and adequate compensation to his family. They also created a scene at the hospital after his body was handed over to the family after the post-mortem examination.
