Patna, February 27: A LEGISLATOR belonging to the ruling Janata Dal- United ( JD- U) in Bihar killed his wife and infant daughter before shooting himself in the early hours of Friday.
Abhay Singh ( 36) shot his wife Soni and six- month- old daughter Rashi from pointblank range with his licensed revolver in their Patna bedroom at around 3 in the morning.
His elder daughter, three- year old Khushi, who was sleeping with her grandmother in the adjoining room, survived.
Abhay, son of Narendra Singh, minister for food and consumer affairs in the Nitish Kumar government, was a legislator from Jamui constituency.
He was staying with his parents at their 8, Strand Road bungalow in a high security zone. Family sources cited “ marital discord” as the reason behind the deaths.
Abhay’s distraught father had to be rushed to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology where he was admitted at the intensive care unit with cardiac problems.
DGP Anand Shankar said they have collected material evidence from the spot.
“ We are yet to record the statements of the family members because they are in a state of shock,” Anand said.
Family sources said they heard the sound of gunshots coming from Abhay’s room. Since the door was locked from inside, its glass panes had to be broken.
When the family members entered the room, they saw the bodies of Abhay, his wife and their daughter lying in a pool of blood.
They said the legislator had used his licensed revolver to shoot his wife and daughter before killing himself. He was married in 2005.
Their bodies were taken to the Patna Medical College Hospital for post- mortem. They were cremated at the Gulbi Ghat on the banks of Ganga later in the day.
The news of Abhay’s suicide spread quickly and cast a pall of gloom in the political circle.
The chief minister, leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly and a host of other leaders rushed to Narendra’s bungalow to console the grieving family.
“ We are all with Narendra Bhai in this hour of grief,” Nitish said.
Narendra, who was also the health minister in the Lalu Prasad cabinet in the early 1990s, is a powerful Rajput leader who wields considerable influence in the Jamui belt.
Known for being outspoken, Narendra had recently attended a meeting of Rajput leaders convened by disgruntled JD- U leader Prabhunath Singh.
Abhay, the second of Narendra’s four sons, had grown out of his father’s shadow by nurturing his own political ambitions. He was twice elected from his constituency.
Neither friends nor family members had any idea of his “ disturbed” state of mind.
Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee president Anil Sharma said he had known Abhay for a long time and his demise had deprived the state of an able leader.
The Bihar assembly was adjourned after paying homage to the young legislator.
Speaker Udai Narayan Choudhry read out the condolence message and the House unanimously adopted a resolution condoling Abhay’s death.
The House also observed one minute’s silence as a mark of respect.
–Agencies