Bihar double murder: Witness shot dead in Jehanabad, elderly couple killed in Muzaffarpur
Synopsis
On the same day in Bihar, a man scheduled to testify in a murder trial on 6 August was gunned down by over a dozen assailants in Jehanabad — his family alleging it was a deliberate attempt to silence him — while a retired PNB cashier and his wife were found bound and killed in their Muzaffarpur home, the crime uncovered by their son through a CCTV alert on his phone.
Key Takeaways
Vijay Yadav of Parsauna village was shot dead near Dakra Mor, Jehanabad on 21 July by more than a dozen motorcycle-borne assailants.
He was the principal witness in his elder son's murder case and was due to testify on 6 August ; his family alleges he was killed to silence him.
Retired PNB cashier Ashok Kunwar and his wife Neelam Devi were found murdered in their Muzaffarpur residence the same evening.
Neelam Devi was found with her hands and feet bound; preliminary findings suggest strangulation as a possible cause of death.
CCTV footage has revealed two suspects in the Muzaffarpur case; police are questioning three tenants in the building.
Forensic teams and a dog squad have examined the Muzaffarpur crime scene; post-mortem reports are awaited in both cases.
Two separate incidents of violent crime rocked Bihar on Monday, 21 July, as a key witness in a murder trial was gunned down in Jehanabad and a retired bank official along with his wife was found murdered inside their home in Muzaffarpur. Police have launched independent investigations into both cases.
Key Witness Shot Dead in Jehanabad
Vijay Yadav, a resident of Parsauna village, was shot dead by armed assailants near Dakra Mor under the Makhdumpur police station area of Jehanabad district. According to police, he was returning home with his son after getting wheat milled when a group of more than a dozen motorcycle-borne criminals intercepted them.
The attackers allegedly attempted to seize his son first, who managed to escape, before opening fire on Vijay Yadav. He died on the spot after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. The assailants fled the scene immediately after.
His son, Amarnath Yadav, alleged that his father was eliminated to prevent him from testifying in court. According to the family, Vijay Yadav was the principal witness in the murder case of his elder son and was scheduled to depose before the court on 6 August. The family claims the accused in that case orchestrated his killing to influence the ongoing trial.
Police reached the scene promptly, recovered the body, and sent it to Sadar Hospital, Jehanabad for post-mortem examination. Investigators said all possible angles — including the alleged witness-intimidation motive — are being examined, and raids are underway to apprehend those involved.
Retired PNB Cashier and Wife Found Murdered in Muzaffarpur
In a separate incident, Ashok Kunwar, a retired cashier with Punjab National Bank (PNB), and his wife Neelam Devi were found murdered inside their residence in Muzaffarpur late Monday evening.
The case came to light after the couple's son, Dr. Nikhil Kumar, noticed suspicious activity through CCTV cameras linked to his mobile phone. The footage reportedly showed two unidentified men entering the premises and captured Neelam Devi running towards the rooftop. When repeated calls to his parents went unanswered, he alerted a neighbour, who discovered the bodies and informed police.
Ashok Kunwar's body was recovered from a bedroom on the second floor with multiple stab injuries, particularly on his back. Neelam Devi's body was found on the third floor, with her hands and feet bound with rope and adhesive tape covering her mouth. Preliminary findings suggest she may have died due to strangulation, though the exact cause of death will be confirmed after post-mortem.
Forensic Teams Deployed, Suspects Identified on CCTV
A forensic team and dog squad examined the Muzaffarpur crime scene. Investigators recovered gloves, adhesive tape, and a bag, all of which have been seized for forensic analysis. Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police Kantesh Kumar Mishra confirmed that CCTV footage has revealed two suspects whose identities are being established.
Police also plan to question the three tenants residing in the building as part of the investigation. The exact sequence of events will be confirmed once post-mortem reports and forensic analysis are complete.
What Happens Next
Both cases are being investigated simultaneously across two districts of Bihar. The Jehanabad killing raises serious concerns about witness protection in ongoing criminal trials, while the Muzaffarpur double murder points to a premeditated attack, given the binding of the victim and the use of gloves by the suspects. The state's law enforcement agencies are under pressure to make swift arrests in both cases.
Point of View
Just weeks before a scheduled court deposition, is too precise to be coincidental. It exposes a chronic failure in Bihar's witness protection framework, which remains largely unimplemented despite Supreme Court directives. The Muzaffarpur double murder, with its forensic signatures — gloves, binding, premeditated entry — points to organised execution rather than opportunistic crime. That both incidents occurred on the same day in the same state is not a statistical anomaly; it is a signal about the ground-level law-and-order environment Bihar's administration must urgently address.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Vijay Yadav and why was he killed in Jehanabad?
Vijay Yadav was a resident of Parsauna village in Jehanabad district and the principal witness in the murder case of his elder son. His family alleges he was shot dead on 21 July by over a dozen assailants to prevent him from testifying in court on 6 August, though police say all angles are being investigated.
Who were the victims in the Muzaffarpur murder case?
The victims were Ashok Kunwar, a retired Punjab National Bank cashier, and his wife Neelam Devi. Their bodies were found inside their Muzaffarpur residence on the evening of 21 July, with Ashok Kunwar showing multiple stab wounds and Neelam Devi found bound with rope and tape.
How was the Muzaffarpur double murder discovered?
The couple's son, Dr. Nikhil Kumar, spotted suspicious activity through CCTV cameras connected to his mobile phone. After his calls to his parents went unanswered, he alerted a neighbour, who found the bodies and informed police.
What evidence has police collected in the Muzaffarpur case?
Police recovered gloves, adhesive tape, and a bag from the crime scene, all seized for forensic analysis. CCTV footage has revealed two suspects whose identities are being established. A forensic team and dog squad have examined the premises, and three tenants in the building are expected to be questioned.
What is the current status of both investigations?
Police have launched separate investigations in Jehanabad and Muzaffarpur. In Jehanabad, raids are underway to arrest the assailants. In Muzaffarpur, forensic analysis and post-mortem reports are awaited, and investigators are working to identify the two suspects captured on CCTV.
