Mukhiya, his son shot in Gopalganj

PATNA: Two motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire on the house of Balesra panchayat mukhiya Mahatam Chaudhary (50) under Uchkagaon police station in Gopalganj district killing his elder son and grievously injuring him and two others on Tuesday evening.

The mukhiya, who was grievously wounded, also succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Gorakhpur during treatment on Wednesday. Police have arrested one of the shooters involved in the crime. “We have arrested one of the main shooters Bablu Dubey, whom the deceased mukhiya had named in his dying declaration.

All the borders of the district were sealed immediately after the shootout and at least six suspects were detained for interrogation,” said Gopalganj SP Rashid Zaman on Wednesday.

Police sources said Mahatam, also the block president of Mukhiya Sangh, was sitting outside his house at Pindra village with his elder son and some other villagers on Tuesday. The criminals, covering their faces with mask and helmet, opened fire in which the mukhiya, his wife Malti Devi (46), and his younger son Nagendra Chaudhary (24) sustained grievous injuries and are in a critical condition, while elder son Satendra Chaudhary (28) succumbed to injuries during treatment at the sadar hospital on Tuesday.

Uchkagaon police station SHO Rana Prasad said, “The shooter only aimed at the mukhiya and his son while opening fire and did not shoot anyone else sitting with the father-son duo. Malti and Nagendra were inside the house. On hearing the gunshots, both came out and both were shot at by the assailant.” Zaman said old political rivalry is likely the reason behind the incident.