Samastipur shooting: Victim who survived 2023 court premises attack killed by bike-borne gunmen

Two men were shot dead late Tuesday night in an indiscriminate firing incident in Namapur village, under the Chakmehsi police station area of Samastipur district, Bihar. The killings sparked panic among residents of the area.

The victims have been identified as Prabhat Chaudhary of Nima Chakhaidar village and Sunny Kumar of Belsandi village. Both villages come under Chakmehsi police station’s jurisdiction.

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What happened

Eyewitnesses said Chaudhary and Kumar were standing in an isolated spot in Namapur village when 8 to 10 unidentified men on motorcycles reportedly appeared from hiding and opened fire without any warning. Both men were hit by multiple bullets and died on the spot. The attackers escaped in the darkness before villagers, alerted by the gunshots, could reach the scene.

Police investigation underway

Police arrived shortly after being informed and recovered the bodies, which were sent for post-mortem. A probe is now underway, with officers going through CCTV footage from the village and surrounding roads to try and identify those responsible.

Was it linked to old rivalries?

Prabhat Chaudhary reportedly had criminal record with past cases involving illegal liquor trade and Arms Act. Police believe the murder could be tied to a financial dispute linked to the liquor business, or possibly a turf rivalry, though no motive has been officially confirmed yet — investigators say they’re looking at it from every angle.

Family says he was called out and killed

Prabhat’s father, Sanjay Chaudhary, has alleged that his son was deliberately lured out of the house through a phone call. He called it a planned conspiracy. He also recalled that Prabhat had survived an attempt on his life inside court premises back in 2023, an incident that led to two police personnel being suspended. This time, he said, his son wasn’t as lucky.

The family said Prabhat left home around 7 pm that evening, believing he was going out for some routine work. They only found out about his death later that night.