Tiff over milk worth Rs 400; three killed one injured in Bihar

Another injured is receiving medical attention at a private hospital after his family decide to shift him from the Nalanda Medical College.

Patna: In a shocking incident three people were killed and one injured owing to a debate over Rs 400 in Surangapar village, located in Bihar's Fatuha district on Thursday night. However, beneath the veneer of a trivial argument, it has come to light that this cataclysmic clash was merely the culmination of a long-simmering feud between two families that eventually erupted into a violent and deadly confrontation.

The victims of this brutal encounter have been identified by local law enforcement as Jai Singh, aged 50, Sailesh Singh, aged 40, both belonging to one family, and Pradeep, aged 35, representing the opposing faction. Tragically, all three lost their lives in the heat of the altercation, while a fourth individual is currently battling for his life and recuperating at the New Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), where dedicated medical professionals are sparing no effort to stabilize his precarious condition.

According to the police investigation into this heart-wrenching incident, it was revealed that the root cause of the dispute lay in a financial matter. Allegedly, Sailesh and Jai Singh's family had been purchasing milk from their neighbour and had inadvertently accumulated a debt of Rs 400 over time. The critical tipping point was reached when Pradeep approached them on that fateful Thursday, demanding repayment of the owed amount. What commenced as a seemingly innocuous request for payment quickly escalated into a verbal altercation, and then tragically spiralled into a full-blown clash between these neighbouring families.

Upon receiving news of the incident, law enforcement authorities, including the Rural Superintendent of Police, Fatuha Deputy Superintendent of Police, and several other police officials, promptly arrived at the scene. An FIR (First Information Report) has been registered, invoking relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code to address the matter comprehensively. An exhaustive investigation into the incident has also been initiated by the police to uncover the full extent of the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event.

“The incident triggered off over a trivial dispute and in no time both the families started firing at each other resulted in the killing of the trio. The bodies have been sent for autopsy and we are investing into the matter,” SDPO of Fatuha Siyaram Yadav said.

"12 accused have been arrested so far. One rifle and one shotgun have been recovered from them. The Fatuha police have taken the dead bodies under their possession and have sent them for post-mortem examination at Nalanda Medical College on the same night. Meanwhile, police forces have camped at the place of the incident", Jadav added.

Sources in the police, however said that roots of this tragic confrontation lay in an ongoing dispute over land, which had simmered between the two families for an extended period. However, the situation escalated dramatically, ultimately culminating in a shocking loss of life. Remarkably, the catalyst for this deadly altercation was a mere Rs 400 owed for a transaction involving milk, underscoring how seemingly trivial disputes can spiral out of control.