Ara: A seemingly trivial dispute over a litre of milk snowballed into a brutal double murder in Bhojpur district on Sunday. The violence took place in Semra village under the Barhara police station around 9am when Dharmendra Rai (25), a local milkman, was shot in the head by a group of armed men from a neighbouring village. Within 10 minutes, the alleged shooter, 24-year-old Prem Singh, was cornered by enraged villagers. They pelted him with bricks and stones before shooting him in the head, killing him on the spot. Both men died instantly from gunshot wounds to the head. Several other villagers sustained minor injuries during the violent clash between the rival groups. Bhojpur SP Raj, who visited the spot along with Ara Sadar SDPO-II Ranjit Kumar Singh, told reporters, “A clash broke out between villagers from Semra and Bindgaon over a milk-related dispute. Two men – Prem from Bindgaon and Dharmendra from Semra – were shot dead in the altercation. The police have seized a licensed rifle and a pistol from the spot, along with bricks and stones used in the fight. The FSL team is assisting in the scientific investigation. The accused will be arrested soon after their identities are confirmed.” Recounting the events leading up to the bloodshed, a relative of the slain milkman said, “Dharmendra and his father had gone to Bindgaon village on Saturday to deliver milk to their regular customers. Manish Singh and his brother, Prem, forcibly demanded a litre of milk. When Dharmendra refused, explaining that it was already committed to customers, Manish, Prem and others assaulted both father and son. On Sunday, when Dharmendra’s family confronted Prem about the attack, he called his armed men and they shot Dharmendra dead.” Police sources said the villagers retaliated immediately. As news of Dharmendra’s murder spread, an angry mob turned on Prem, beating him with bricks before shooting him dead.
