In a landmark ruling that has sent shockwaves through Bihar’s Begusarai district, a local court has sentenced Vikas Kumar alias Vikas Singh to death for the brutal triple murder committed on Diwali night in 2019. The horrific crime unfolded in Machha village under Singhaul police station, claiming the lives of his own brother Kunal Singh, sister-in-law Kanchan Devi, and 17-year-old niece Sonam Kumari.
District and Sessions Judge Third Brajesh Kumar Singh delivered the verdict via video conferencing from Beur Jail, marking the first time such a sentence was pronounced this way in Begusarai’s judicial history. The decision brings a measure of closure to a family shattered by years of violence rooted in a festering land dispute.
The saga of bloodshed began in 2012 when Vikas allegedly murdered his uncle Arun Singh over four bighas of land, earning him a life sentence. Arun’s wife, Munni Devi, was killed in 2017, with her case still pending. Kunal Singh, a key witness in both cases, became Vikas’s next target. Refusing to buckle under pressure to skip testimony, Kunal paid the ultimate price on October 27, 2019.
Around 10 PM on that fateful Diwali night, Vikas stormed into his brother’s home and opened fire. Kunal, Kanchan, and Sonam were shot dead in cold blood. As Vikas fled, he encountered his nephew Shivam Kumar and fired at his chest at point-blank range. Miraculously, the bullet missed vital organs, sparing Shivam’s life. Rushing inside, the young boy discovered the blood-soaked bodies of his family.
The triple homicide plunged the district into fear and panic. Public prosecutors, led by APP Ram Prakash Yadav, built a rock-solid case with testimonies from witnesses including Babu Sahab Singh, Vijay Singh, Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Satyam Kumar, eyewitness Shivam, and investigating officer Manish Kumar Singh.
This conviction underscores the long arm of the law. For the grieving family, it’s a hard-won victory after six agonizing years. Begusarai’s courts have issued a stern warning: no criminal can evade justice forever. As the appeal process looms, the region watches closely, hoping this sets a precedent for swift accountability in violent crimes.