Nawada (Bihar): In the continuing feud between two criminal gangs over sand mining contracts, seven people, including the father of a Bihar MLA and a relative of Jharkhand minister, were shot dead near Kochgaon in Nawada district late February 15 night.

Kailash Singh, father of independent MLA from Warsaliganj Aruna Devi, and Nunulal Singh, uncle of Jharkhand Mines Minister Ravindra Rai, and five others were allegedly killed by Ashok Mahato gang, official sources said on February 16.

Five of the victims belonged to an upper caste, they said.

Heavily-armed members of Mahato gang intercepted the vehicles carrying the victims at Mehandipur near Kochgaon, the sources said.

They ordered women occupants to alight and then opened fire killing five instantly and seriously wounding two, including a six-year-old boy, who died later.

Inspector general of police (Operations) Neelmani said the killings were in retaliation to the February 12 slayings of seven labourers at Dariapur and Rampur- Ganeshnagar villages by the Akhilesh Singh gang.

The labourers were hired by Ashok Mahato.

Akhilesh, the husband of Aruna Devi, currently lodged in Beur model jail in Patna, is locked in a bloody feud with Mahato which has claimed dozens of lives from both sides in the past few years.

PTI