Bihar’s Buxar was gripped by terror when a deranged admirer gunned down an 18-year-old bride right on the wedding mandap during the sacred jaimala ritual. The bride, Arti Kumari, fell lifeless as her groom and relatives watched in disbelief in Mallah Toli village.
The celebration was in full swing with the groom’s procession from neighboring Ballia’s UP border. Suddenly, Dinbandhu Mallah, a neighborhood man nursing a one-sided infatuation, appeared with his face masked. In a flash, he drew his tamancha and shot Arti at close quarters before vanishing into the panicked crowd.
Arti’s family recounted how Dinbandhu had repeatedly harassed them, vowing to prevent the union. His obsession boiled over on the wedding day, fulfilling his ominous threat. Rushed to Buxar Sadar Hospital, the victim was airlifted—figuratively—to Varanasi for advanced care, but her prognosis remains grim.
Mufassil thana officers cordoned off the site, collecting evidence and grilling witnesses. Deputy SHO Chandan Kumar confirmed the motive as a spurned love affair gone fatally wrong. Raids are underway across potential locations, with police assuring the public of the killer’s imminent capture.
This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the perils lurking in rejected affections, leaving a family devastated and a society questioning safety at its most joyous occasions.