Holi festivities turned into tragedy for a sleepy little village in Gaya district of Bihar as three people, including a woman, of the same family were killed when a mortar shell exploded in the area.

As per reports, three people died while three others sustained critical injuries when a mortar shell exploded well beyond the Army’s firing range on early Wednesday morning in a village of Bihar’s Gaya district.

According to the police, the mishap took place in Gularved village under the jurisdiction of Barachatti police station area when an Army mortal shell which landed well outside the firing range went off resulting in injuries to six villagers, including three women.

A senior police official said the injured were rushed to the Anugraha Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital in the town where three of the wounded, including a woman, succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment.

He said that three others—all women, including a minor girl—are receiving medical attention at the hospital, where their condition is stated to be critical.

The dead, all residents of Gularved village, include two men and a woman from the same family.

The deceased have been identified as Govind Manjhi (25) son-in-law of Gola Manjhi (resident of Dobhi), Suraj Kumar (18) Gularved and Kanchan Kumari (45), while the injured include Geeta Kumari (11), Rasho Devi (30), Pintu Manjhi (25).

The official said that a police team has been dispatched to the spot to investigate the incident, adding that police is investigating every possible angle as to how the mortar shell landed so far outside the firing range.

Local media reports quoting residents said the people are shocked how the shell landed in the village as the Gularved hamlet is nowhere near the firing range. Recently, a mortar shell had landed in the house in a nearby village, triggering panic.

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