Riya Kumari during a film shooting. File

Riya Kumari, reportedly an actress from Jharkhan, was shot dead after she allegedly thwarted a highway robbery attempt in West Bengal's Howrah district on Wednesday, police said.

Investigation officers probing the murder of Riya Kumari are smelling some foul play.

As reported by her husband Prakash Kumar, who claimed himself to be a film producer from Jharkhand, the incident took place at around 6am while they were travelling to Kolkata from Ranchi.

Prakash Kumar was driving the vehicle and the couple's three-year-old daughter was also travelling with them.

According to his statement given to the police, he stopped the vehicle near Mahishrekha bridge at Bagnan under Uluberia sub-division of Howrah district to attend to nature's call.

Then, three miscreants with firearms approached them with the intention of robbing them of money and other valuables.

When the couple tried to resist, one of the miscreants shot at Riya from point-blank range and she immediately fell down bleeding profusely.

The miscreants, as per Prakash Kumar's statement, immediately fled from the spot and he drove to a nearby locality and informed the locals about the incident.

On being informed by the local, the police reached the spot and immediately rushed Riya to the Uluberia sub-division hospital. However, she had died by then.

The police have started an investigation and are questioning Prakash Kumar for further details.

Agencies