A school principal was shot dead in broad daylight in Gorakhpur on Sunday and her teenage daughter was injured when two motorcycle-borne assailants fired at them, police said.
Forty-three-year-old Nivedita Major, principal of Ahirauli primary school in Kushinagar district,was brought dead to the BRD Medical College while the condition of her daughter is critical.
Nivedita Major had left her home near Saint John Church in Basaratpur locality of Gorakhpur along with her 18-year-old daughter Delysia on a scooter for her in-laws residence in Ram Janki Nagar in the afternoon.
Two unidentified persons on a motorcycle overtook their scooter and the pillion rider whipped out a pistol and fired on the mother and daughter.
The criminals fired indiscriminately on Nivedita and Delysia. Police said Nivedita was hit thrice while her daughter was hit by a single bullet in the chest. The two women fell on the road after being shot.
When the passerby rushed toward the spot, the criminals fired in the air to disperse them and escaped. The local people informed the police about the incident and the two women were rushed to the BRD Medical College hospital where the doctors declared Nivedita dead on arrival. The Medical College administration said, condition of Delysia is critical. Eyewitnesses said the assailants were wearing helmets.
Senior police officers including Deputy inspector General of Police, (Gorakhpur Range), Rajesh Modak, SSP, Jogendra Kumar reached the spot with a forensic team and a dog squad.
The SSP said the crime branch has started investigation into the killing of the school principal. Police teams have been constituted to nab the killers. The police have detained a few persons including a property dealer for interrogation, he said.
