BUXAR: A wedding celebration in Bihar’s Buxar district turned into a shocking incident on Tuesday night after a bride was shot at point-blank range on stage, allegedly by a former partner, according to local media reports.
The victim, 18-year-old Aarti Kumari, was undergoing the jaimala ritual (the traditional exchange of garlands) at a venue in Chausa Nagar Panchayat when the assailant opened fire.
Local reports indicate the wedding procession had arrived from Ballia in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh and celebrations were well underway when the attack occurred at approximately 11pm.
As a relative was performing a ritual, the suspect reportedly fired a single shot into the bride’s abdomen.
Hospital officials confirmed the gunshot affected a sensitive part of the her body, leaving the victim in a life-threatening state.
Critical condition and referral
Ms Kumari was initially rushed to the local Sadar Hospital for emergency treatment. However, due to the severity of the gunshot wound, doctors provided only first aid before referring her to the Trauma Centre in Varanasi.
Medical staff at the facility have described her condition as life-threatening, and she remains under intensive care.
Motive linked to personal dispute
Local residents and investigators believe the motive stems from a previous relationship between the victim and the suspect.
Preliminary findings suggest the accused was disgruntled by Ms Kumari’s marriage to another man and carried out the attack in an act of rage.
Buxar Superintendent of Police, Shubham Arya, is personally supervising the inquiry. While the primary suspect remains at large, police have moved to detain his parents for questioning to determine his whereabouts, according to reports from the scene.
Authorities have assured the public that an arrest is imminent as the investigation continues.