Woman dancer killed during marriage celebrations in India

A woman dancer in India's northern state of Punjab was shot dead by a guest after she refused to dance with him during a wedding function, police said Sunday.

The 25-year-old dancer was fired from a point-blank range on Saturday night at Bathinda, about 225 km west of Chandigarh, the capital city of Punjab.

"A woman Kulwinder Kaur, dancer by profession was shot dead last night by a person during a wedding function here at Maur Mandi town," a police official in Bathinda said. "Following the incident, the accused person fled from the spot and is still absconding."

Police officials said they have registered a case and initiated investigations into the murder.

Reports said the accused was drunk and fired on Kaur in fit of rage.

Kaur was reportedly two months pregnant and was hit with bullet in stomach.

A local television news channel NDTV quoted Kaur's husband saying the accused had been asking her wife to get off the stage and join them to which she refused and got shot.

Some reports say the dancer was killed in a celebratory fire during the wedding.

Video of the incident, which shows the victim getting shot from close range and collapsing from the stage, has gone viral on social media. Endit