Tragedy struck in Bihar’s Pirpainti, Bhagalpur, transforming a friendly Ludo match into a murder scene. Rishabh Jha, 30, a real estate player and proud son of retired soldier Dilip Kumar Jha, fell victim to gunfire from Saurabh Sah, also known as Mayank Gupta, over a game-ending move.
The sequence unfolded dramatically during play. Teetering on defeat, Saurabh implored with a laugh, ‘Don’t cut my final piece, dost, or it’s bullets.’ Rishabh’s counter-move ignored the warning, igniting Saurabh’s wrath. In a flash, he drew his weapon and fired, critically wounding his opponent.
Medical aid proved futile; after transfers between a private hospital and JLN Medical College, Rishabh passed away. The swift police crackdown netted Saurabh on-site and his team—Bhanu Kumar alias Sanjeev Shah from Sundarpur Pirpainti, Pritam, Rahul Ranjan alias Monu, and Deepak—near the rail station. Forensics yielded the pistol, bullets, spent ammo, and phones.
SSP Pramod Kumar Yadav’s briefing exposed conspiracy: their joint plotting ventures soured over Saurabh’s debts to Rishabh. The Ludo night? A calculated trap with cronies in tow to conceal the hit.
Echoes of this horror reverberate, prompting reflection on simmering rivalries exploding into violence. With probes unrelenting, justice looms for Rishabh’s kin, as Bhagalpur confronts the shadows behind seemingly playful facades.