Three members of a family shot at in Patna City, two critical

Patna, June 9
In a shocking incident that took place on Monday morning, three members of a family were shot at in the Arfabad locality under Alamganj police station limits in Patna, officials said.

The incident took place around 9.15 a.m. when the victims -- a husband, wife, and their daughter -- were heading to the local market and were allegedly fired upon by two bike-borne assailants.

Patna City Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Atulesh Jha confirmed the attack, adding that the condition of the woman and her daughter is critical, while the husband sustained a gunshot wound to his leg.

The injured were rushed to Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) for treatment, he said.

The woman has been identified as Mahalaxmi Mehta, a retired nurse from the NMCH, and her husband as Dhananjay Mehta. Their daughter’s identity has not yet been disclosed by the police.

Mahalaxmi and her daughter have suffered gunshot wounds to the chest, stomach, and back, while Dhananjay was shot in the leg.

ASP Jha said preliminary investigations suggest personal enmity as a possible motive. “However, we are probing all angles. At this stage, nothing is being ruled out. The victims’ statements will be crucial once they regain consciousness,” he said.

Jha said the assailants fled the scene after the attack. Police are scanning CCTV footage from the area to identify the shooters. “A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has collected evidence, including spent cartridges, from the crime scene, he added.

The incident has sparked fear among local residents, highlighting growing concerns over the rise in firing incidents in the congested Alamganj area, located along the narrow and crowded Ashok Rajpath of Patna City.