The murder of a young man in Phulwari Sharif, Patna, has unveiled a chilling story of domestic conflict and coercion. The victim’s sister-in-law confessed to the crime, revealing that she was compelled by her husband, who also arranged for her to be trained in firearms, to kill her brother-in-law.
The incident occurred in Bhusaula Danapur, where Rizwan Qureshi was found murdered on Sunday morning. Within a short time, the police arrested three suspects: Shahbaz Qureshi, the victim’s elder brother; Shabnam, his wife; and Syed Raza, who supplied the weapon. Authorities recovered a pistol, several live cartridges, and an empty cartridge.
The investigation revealed that Rizwan and his sister-in-law were engaged in an illicit affair that persisted after her marriage. This led to severe family tensions, particularly with Shahbaz, who repeatedly tried to resolve the situation. When his efforts failed, he resorted to a sinister plan.
According to City SP Paschimi Bhanu Pratap Singh, Shahbaz threatened his wife, telling her that she must kill Rizwan or face divorce. Fearing her husband’s ultimatum, Shabnam became complicit in the murder plot.
The night of the murder, Shabnam mixed sleeping pills into the family’s tea to incapacitate everyone. She then shot Rizwan while he was asleep, resulting in his immediate death. To protect her husband, she locked him in a room to create the illusion that he wasn’t involved, and tried to flee from Patna Junction.
Shahbaz had obtained a pistol and ammunition from Syed Raza to execute the murder. He arranged for Shabnam to receive shooting lessons at Khagaul Canal, where she practiced firing. She also learned to use firearms through online videos and underwent intensive training for a month.
Under police interrogation, the accused woman confessed to the crime, admitting that she had killed her brother-in-law because of pressure and threats from her husband. An FIR has been filed at the Phulwari Sharif police station based on the statement of the deceased’s wife, Yasmin Khatoon. A special police team, led by City SP Bhanu Pratap Singh and SDPO-1 Sushil Kumar, was formed to investigate.