A daylight murder took place near Rupauli village under the Gamharia police station limits in Madhepura district, where a woman was fatally attacked with a knife. The deceased has been identified as 35-year-old Bhagmani Devi, wife of Suman Rishidev, residing in Budhave village within the Singheshwar police station area. The tragic incident occurred on Monday afternoon while the woman was fishing near the Bainga river, located close to Rupauli village. Following the incident, local authorities apprehended the accused, identified as 19-year-old Bhavesh Kumar, who is the brother-in-law of the deceased.
Heated Argument Along the Riverbank
Bhagmani Devi had gone to the Bainga river on Monday afternoon to catch fish. While she was there, Bhavesh Kumar arrived at the riverbank and began pressurizing her to leave with him. When Bhagmani Devi firmly refused his demands, an intense argument broke out between them. As the altercation escalated, Bhavesh pulled out a knife and launched a sudden, brutal assault on her. Bhagmani Devi sustained critical wounds and died on the spot due to severe injuries and blood loss.
After committing the crime, the accused attempted to flee the scene. However, vigilant villagers working nearby quickly reacted, chasing him down and overpowering him. The crowd assaulted the accused before alerting the police. A team from the Gamharia police station reached the location promptly, took Bhavesh Kumar into custody, and recovered the bloodstained knife used in the murder.
Interrogation Reveals Four-Year Relationship
During interrogation by the police, Bhavesh Kumar disclosed significant details regarding his association with Bhagmani Devi, stating that the two had been in a relationship for approximately four years. Bhavesh worked as a laborer in Punjab. According to his statement, Bhagmani Devi had contacted him over the phone, prompting him to return from Punjab to the village roughly five days ago. After returning, he insisted that Bhagmani Devi live with him. On Monday, he once again demanded that she accompany him, and her outright refusal led to the fatal altercation.
Pretext of Returning the Mobile Phone
Deepak Kumar, the nephew of the deceased, shared critical background context about the dispute. According to Deepak, his maternal aunt had traveled to Punjab with neighbor Bhavesh Kumar a few days earlier. However, after staying there for just two days, she returned to the village. Following this, neither her in-laws nor her maternal relatives were willing to accommodate her. Consequently, she had taken shelter at her sister-in-law's residence in Rupauli.
Deepak further mentioned that Bhagmani's mobile phone was in Bhavesh's possession. On Monday, Bhavesh had actually traveled to the riverbank under the pretext of returning her phone. During interrogation, Bhavesh admitted to investigators that he had purchased the knife earlier that Monday morning from the Singheshwar market. When he learned later in the afternoon that Bhagmani Devi had headed toward the Bainga river, he went there armed with the weapon.
Separation Following Village Panchayat Ruling
Local residents noted that relations between Bhagmani Devi and her husband, Suman Rishidev, had been strained for quite some time. Due to ongoing discord, a local panchayat had convened to mediate the dispute, resulting in a mutual agreement for the couple to live separately. The couple had two children. Under the terms decided by the panchayat, one child resided with the father, Suman Rishidev, while the other lived with Bhagmani Devi.
Raghavendra Narayan, Station House Officer of Gamharia police station, confirmed the arrest, noting that prima facie evidence indicates the murder stemmed from a strained relationship. The weapon used in the offense has been seized, and the police have summoned a team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to the crime scene to collect scientific and forensic evidence for further legal proceedings.
