Triple murder accused surrenders a month after dodging police in Bihar

The accused identified as Ashish Chaudhary despite marrying his lover, suspected that she was in an affair, after which she left him. On Nov 20, Chaudhary allegedly gunned down his wife and her two brothers.

Patna: After dodging the police for close to a month, the main accused in a triple murder case in Bihar's Lakhisarai district on Tuesday surrendered before a court, an official said.

Ashish Chaudhary, who had on November 20 allegedly shot dead a woman he was in love with and her two family members, gave himself up before the CJM's court in Lakhisarai, according to Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar.

The SP said Chaudhary had allegedly sprayed Durga Jha (24) and her family members with bullets in Punjabi Mohalla locality of Lakhisarai town where the accused and the victims were next-door neighbours.

Chaudhary was said to be in love with Durga Jha and the two had secretly married, but the woman separated later on under pressure from her family members who were outraged over her inter-caste relationship.

The woman later took up a job in Patna and Chaudhary, who had been suspecting her of having an affair, carried out the attack when Durga and her family members were returning home after offering prayers at a river ghat on the occasion of Chhath festival.

While Durga succumbed to injuries at a hospital a day later, her two brothers had died on the spot. Her father and two sisters-in-law sustained grievous injuries.

The SP said two co-accused, who had provided Chaudhary with arms and ammunition, have been arrested and all of them will be put on trial in connection with the case.