Man kills girl for spurning friendship

LUCKNOW - A man shot dead a teenaged girl here Friday allegedly after she spurned his friendship and later shot himself, police said. He is being treated at a trauma centre.

Ashish Kumar Verma, 24, killed an 18-year-old student of New Public Inter College in Krishnanagar locality.

Police said Verma shot her after an altercation when she declined to be his friend.

Witnesses said that after a verbal duel, Verma directed the girl to ride on his motorbike. As they were arguing, Verma whipped out a pistol and shot her dead,” Lucknow police spokesperson Brijesh Kumar said.

Both Verma and his friend fled after the incident. Later, the young man shot at himself inside the home of his cousin brother.

Police have recovered a suicide note from Verma in which he attributed the incident to his failure to have “friendly relations with the girl.