A shocking incident of honour killing has come to light from Bihar’s Darbhanga. A 25-year-old nursing student was shot dead in front of his wife inside the campus of Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). The alleged shooter was the victim’s father-in-law. The accused was reportedly enraged by his daughter’s inter-caste marriage with the man.

According to reports, the victim was identified as Rahul Kumar. Kumar was a second-year BSc Nursing student. He married Tannu Priya, a first-year student at the same institution, just four months ago. The eyewitnesses stated that the attack took place on Tuesday evening. The incident occurred near the hostel gates of the medical college, approximately 140 km northeast of Patna.

“He Collapsed Into My Lap”: Victim’s Wife

Speaking to reporters after the incident, the victim’s wife Tannu recounted the horror. She said a man in a hoodie approached Rahul while they were standing outside the hostel. “He had a gun. It was my father, Premshankar Jha. He shot my husband in the chest, in front of my eyes. My husband fell into my lap,” she said.

“I was talking on my mobile phone when a person wearing a mask suddenly came and shot Rahul. I was shocked and took a few seconds to realise what had happened. The man who fired the gun was my father. My entire family was angry over my marriage,” Tannu told reporters.

Tannu further alleged that her entire family was part of the conspiracy to kill Rahul. “We had gone to court earlier and informed the authorities that my father and brothers may try to harm us,” she added.

Mob Assaults Accused, Hospital in Chaos

Immediately after the shooting, enraged students and bystanders caught hold of the accused, identified as Prem Shankar Jha, and beat him severely. He sustained multiple injuries and was admitted to DMCH under police custody. Due to his critical condition, he was later referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).

The incident sparked major unrest at the hospital. Nursing students held demonstrations, blocked emergency services, and demanded justice for Rahul. Police had to use mild force to disperse the crowd and restore normalcy.

Investigation and Legal Action

Darbhanga Senior Superintendent of Police Jagannath Reddy confirmed that an FIR has been registered and that the incident is being treated as a suspected honour killing. “The motive appears to be inter-caste marriage. We are taking necessary legal action, and the investigation is ongoing,” he said.

Speaking to the media, Mr Reddy said, “We first got information that a BSc (Nursing) student had been shot dead. Later, we came to know that he and a fellow student had a love marriage. Her father came and shot him. There was a scuffle at the hospital because the students were not letting healthcare staff treat Jha. He is now being referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital. We will register a case and take necessary action,” he said.

District Magistrate Kaushal Kumar also visited the site to assess the situation. Rahul’s body has been sent for postmortem, and additional police forces have been deployed at DMCH to prevent any further unrest.

The murder has sparked outrage across Bihar, with many calling for swift and strong action against those involved in the killing.