A couple was shot dead in Naugachhia subdivision of Bhagalpur district on Thursday (October 22, 2026) around 4 AM. The incident occurred in Ismilepur village, under the Ismilepur police station jurisdiction. The deceased have been identified as Ranjan Mandal and his wife Kiran Devi. Preliminary reports suggest that assailants entered their home and committed the double murder.

Ranjan Mandal operated a small grocery store from his residence. According to initial findings, Ranjan Mandal was shot first. Hearing the gunshot, his wife Kiran Devi screamed, and she was subsequently shot as well. The motive behind the murders remains unclear.

The early morning double murder caused a stir throughout the village. As news spread, villagers gathered at the scene. Upon receiving information, the police arrived and have detained one suspect for questioning. The police are conducting a thorough investigation to identify all individuals involved and ascertain the reason behind the crime. The number of bullet wounds sustained by the victims will be determined after the post-mortem examination.

The incident has left the family in distress and created an atmosphere of fear in the entire area. Villagers protested, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and initially refused to allow the bodies to be moved. Naugachhia SP Vaibhav Sharma stated that the police are investigating the case and preparing to send the bodies for post-mortem. Interrogation of the detained suspect is ongoing to uncover the motive. It has also come to light that Ranjan's brother's two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Pallavi Kumari, went missing two days prior, and a complaint was filed, but she has not yet been found. Police are investigating all these angles.