Rautahat, April 28:

Eight persons were injured, three of them critically, when an unidentified group opened fire on a wedding party at Hathiyahi VDC-2 early this morning.

A group of six unidentified men, who came on two motorcycles, opened fire at the guests from the groom’s side in the wedding of the daughter of Ram Chandra Rai at around 1 am, the Rautahat district police office (DPO) said. The groom’s wedding procession had come from Pipra Pokhariya VDC.

Former Maoist activist Rama Kant Barai, Bidh Lal Barai and Kailash Rai Yadav were injured critically in the firing. They were sent to Narayani Sub-regional Hospital in Birgunj for treatment, SP Yogeshwor Romkhami said. Others injured are Chaturi Rai Yadav, Narayan Bhumihar, Satya Narayan Yadav, Dinesh Pandit and Rameshwor Rai and are being treated at the District Hospital in Gaur, SP Romkhami said.

The unidentified men fired over 25 rounds of bullets while the wedding guests were being entertained, a local Prem Chandra Jha said. The assailants fled the scene on motorcycles, Jha added.

Police said that a search for the assailants is on and the motive behind the shootout is still unclear.