BATHINDA, Punjab – A pregnant woman died after she was gunned down at a wedding in northern India.
Kulwinder Kaur, a 22-year-old dancer, was shot dead on stage allegedly by a drunk man after he was not allowed to dance with her troupe in Punjab’s Bathinda, the Indian Express reported.
The incident happened last night during the marriage function of a local commission agent’s son in Maur, a suburb of Bathinda city, where the deceased was performing with her dance troupe.
A group of the groom’s friends, who were allegedly drunk, were firing in the air and tried to come on to the stage to join the dancers, police said.
On being prevented from dancing on stage, one of the men from the group, Billa, allegedly opened fire with his 12 bore gun, hitting Kulwinder in her head.
Kulwinder’s husband Harjinder Singh, however, claimed Billa, a friend of the groom, had shot her as she rebuffed his advances. “They had been asking her to get off the stage and join them… but she refused… so they shot her,” he said.
Video footage of the incident shows the victim being shot at from close range and collapsing to the ground.
The music was stopped and police was called in. Kulwinder’s body was sent to the civil hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.
Four people have since been arrested for the murder of the 25-year-old and remain in custody.
Among those arrested include Lucky Goyal, the leader of the Sikh political party Shiromani Akali Dal, and his friend Sanjay Goyal. Two others have not yet been named.
A hunt is on for Billa, who fled after the incident. A case of murder has been registered against him.
