A 22-year-old final-year student from Patna’s B N College was brutally beaten to death by a group of 10-15 masked assailants in the parking lot of Patna Law College on Monday, where he had come to take an exam.

The victim, Harsh Kumar, was identified as the son of Vaishali-based journalist Ajit Kumar. Harsh, who was pursuing a BA in English (Honours), had recently campaigned for Shambhavi Choudhary, the LJP (RV) candidate from Samastipur and daughter of Ashok Choudhary, a minister in the Nitish Kumar Cabinet. Police noted that Harsh had previously been involved in a dispute with some Patna University students over organizing a ‘dandiya night’ event during Dussehra last year.

The attack occurred at 12:45 pm when the assailants cornered Harsh near the college parking area and assaulted him with rods and bricks. Bystanders witnessed the incident but did not intervene. Harsh was rushed to Patna Medical College and Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

City SP (East) Bharat Soni stated that police are still investigating the motive behind the murder and the identities of the attackers. Patna Law College principal Mohd Sharif declined to comment, saying, “I do not know anything.”

Harsh’s family mentioned that he was politically active and had aspirations to run in the students’ union elections.