A judicial magistrate’s betrayal has stunned Jharkhand after police cracked the attempted murder of his wife within 72 hours. Santosh Kumar Sah, working in Bihar, allegedly masterminded the attack on Vandana Kumari amid a bitter divorce battle fueled by dowry demands.
The drama peaked on January 17 near Gandhi Gram Flyover in Pathargama, Godda. Vandana, returning from court testimony, was targeted by assailants on motorcycles who fired relentlessly, hitting her twice. Quick medical response saved her life, with transfers from local health center to district hospital and then Bhagalpur.
SP Mukesh Kumar detailed how Santosh, post-marriage in 2019, turned abusive over unmet dowry expectations of Rs 15 lakh. Vandana’s 2020 harassment complaint triggered Santosh’s divorce filing, escalating to a deadly conspiracy. He roped in brother Subodh, contracting killers for Rs 2 lakh.
Swift action nabbed Shyam Kumar Sah, Subodh, and his associate Mohammad Arif from Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur. Evidence haul includes the getaway bikes, helmets, masks, pistol, and shell casings—all stashed at Arif’s home. Six conspirators total, with three still evading capture; police raids intensify.
Call data, CCTV, and forensic leads point squarely at Santosh, who will be summoned for interrogation. This scandalous affair not only exposes personal vendettas but raises alarms about integrity in the judiciary. Vandana’s survival offers hope, but the probe must unearth every layer of this heinous plot to restore faith in law enforcers.