Surge in violence by jilted lovers alarms police

Patna: A worrying trend has emerged in Bihar with a string of violent incidents involving jilted lovers attacking or killing their former girlfriends. The pattern points to a troubling sense of entitlement and a lack of emotional resilience among young men.
Several cases across the state, including Patna, have highlighted how rejection is fuelling deadly outbursts. Police are investigating the incidents and have pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice, but the frequency of such crimes underscores a deeper social problem.
On March 29, 21-year-old Rahul Raj shot dead his 20-year-old girlfriend, Arpita, before killing himself on a ghat near J P Ganga Path in Patna. Both were students. Raj hailed from Madhubani, while Arpita was from Lalganj in Vaishali. They had come to Patna to meet, but after an argument at Janardan Ghat, the encounter turned fatal.
On March 21, Nakul Sharma (20) shot his girlfriend, Aparna, in the leg near a medical shop close to AIIMS-Patna under the Phulwarisharif police station area. "The couple were in a relationship for several years. They had an argument over their marriage plans, which led to the shooting," said Phulwarisharif SDPO Sushil Kumar Singh.
In another incident on March 25 in Bhojpur district, 24-year-old Aman Kumar shot dead a 16-year-old girl at Ara railway station as she was about to board a train to New Delhi. He then shot himself before bystanders could intervene. The girl had rejected Aman's proposal.
Dr Santosh Kumar, head of the psychiatry department at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), attributed such cases to a lack of emotional regulation. "Young people today have poor coping skills and struggle to handle stress in a healthy manner. Rapid breakdowns in relationships are often due to poor communication. The solution lies in a stronger family support system, building resilience, and providing mental health outlets," he said.
Former Bihar director general of police (DGP) Abhayanand said while police operate within legal parameters, they should also undertake sociological assessments, as done in some Western countries.
"The police should examine the accused's background, mental state and academic history when preparing investigation reports. Since youths are the future of the nation, there should be provisions for psychological counselling for such offenders," he said.