Gaya: In a shocking incident in Tetua village under the Atri police station limits in Bihar’s Gaya district, Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's grand-daughter was shot dead by her husband inside the house on Wednesday.

The deceased has been identified as Sushma Singh (32).

Sushma Singh was working as a ‘Vikas Mitra’ in the Atri block.

According to the police, the accused husband, Ramesh Singh, entered the house, locked the door from inside, and then shot Sushma thrice using a country-made pistol before fleeing the scene.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anand Kumar confirmed the incident, saying, “A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the matter. The FSL team has collected evidence from the crime scene, and a manhunt is underway to nab the absconding accused.”

The victim’s sister, Poonam Kumari, alleged that Sushma had married Ramesh Singh against societal norms 16 years ago.

“It was an inter-caste marriage. On Wednesday, Ramesh came home, locked the door, and shot my sister. Then he ran away. We demand the death penalty for him,” Poonam said, holding back tears.

She further said that she arrived home a few minutes ago before the incident took place and was in another room when Ramesh Singh committed the murder and fled from the spot.

Local villagers alerted the police soon after the incident, prompting immediate action by the district authorities. The incident has left the victim’s family devastated, with mourning scenes at the family home.

Given the victim’s relation to a Union Cabinet Minister, the case has drawn significant attention. The police have been directed to act swiftly and investigate all angles, including any possible domestic violence or caste-related issues.

An official said that the exact reason for this murder is not ascertained yet, adding that the district police have recovered the dead body and sent it to the Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College, Gaya, for post-mortem. (IANS)