A gruesome murder in Phulwari Sharif, Patna, has exposed a tale of betrayal and coercion. A young man was found dead inside his home, the victim of a plot hatched by his own sister-in-law. The woman admitted to the crime, revealing that she acted under duress from her husband, who had also arranged for her to undergo firearms training.
The incident took place in Bhusaula Danapur, where Rizwan Qureshi was murdered on Sunday morning. Within hours, the police had arrested three individuals: Shahbaz Qureshi, the victim’s elder brother; Shabnam, his wife; and Syed Raza, who supplied the weapon. A pistol, live cartridges, and an empty cartridge were seized from the suspects.
The investigation revealed that Rizwan had an illicit relationship with his sister-in-law, which had continued after her marriage. This caused increasing tension within the family. Shahbaz, angered by the affair, had repeatedly attempted to resolve the issue. When his efforts failed, he devised a plan to eliminate Rizwan.
City SP Paschimi Bhanu Pratap Singh explained that Shahbaz threatened his wife, demanding that she kill Rizwan or face divorce. Fearing her husband’s threats, Shabnam agreed to the murder plot.
On the night of the crime, Shabnam laced the family’s tea with sleeping pills, ensuring that everyone, including Rizwan, was asleep. She then shot Rizwan while he slept, killing him instantly. To mislead the investigation and protect her husband, she locked him in a room after the shooting. She subsequently switched off her phone and attempted to escape from the Patna Junction area.
Shahbaz had procured a pistol and ammunition from Syed Raza to facilitate the murder. He also arranged for Shabnam to receive firearms training at Khagaul Canal, where she practiced shooting. She supplemented this training by watching videos on YouTube and underwent a month of rigorous training.
During interrogation, the accused woman confessed to the crime, admitting that she killed her brother-in-law due to pressure from her husband. An FIR has been registered at the Phulwari Sharif police station based on the statement of the deceased’s wife, Yasmin Khatoon. A special team led by City SP Bhanu Pratap Singh and SDPO-1 Sushil Kumar was formed to investigate the case.