Roshni Ahirwar, a 21-year-old BA student, was returning home from college.
In a shocking daylight murder in Uttar Pradesh, two men on a motorcycle shot and killed a woman who was returning after taking a college exam in the Jalaun district on Monday morning. The assailants left the gun on the spot, a crowded road crossing barely 200 metres from the local police station and fled. The police have arrested one person and are interrogating him.
The victim, Roshni Ahirwar, a 21-year-old BA student, was returning home from the Ram Lakhan Patel Mahavidyalaya in Ait after the exam at around 11 am when two men on a Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle approached her with a country-made pistol in hand. One of them shot her in the head and Roshni died on the spot. Locals rushed to catch the men, but they tossed the weapon and sped away.
The woman's parents lodged a complaint against Raj Ahirwar, based on which the police registered a case and arrested him. He is being interrogated, police said.
A video of the woman lying face down on the ground in a pool of blood as locals and the police watch has gone viral on social media, drawing sharp criticism towards the Yogi Adityanath-led state government. The woman is in college uniform, and a pistol can be seen on the ground next to her. Several social media users have questioned the law and order situation in the state, as this comes just two days after dreaded gangster-turned-political Atiq Ahmed was shot dead by three men in front of TV cameras in Prayagraj, to the embarrassment of the police and administration.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal also shared the disturbing video clip on Twitter, and targeted the UP government. "Will the wolves of Godi media and the BJP also celebrate this death?" the party wrote in the caption, in an apparent swipe at celebratory coverage of Atiq's murder.
Police reached the spot soon and started investigating. Locals gathered at the spot, and the market was closed after the incident.
Jalaun Superintendent of Police Dr Iraj Raja said the victim was a BA second-year student and was returning home after college. "We are trying to catch the accused, and they will be arrested soon. We have found a lot of evidence and are investigating," he had earlier said.