varanasi, Sept. 27 -- A 15-year-old girl was shot dead and her 20-year-old friend critically injured in a firing allegedly by the girl's father near the counter of New Welcome Family Restaurant on Lalganj Bypass Road, under Deogao police station limits, on Friday, police said. The victims, identified as Akshara Singh, 15, daughter of Neeraj Singh from Pakdi Khurd village, and Aditya Singh, 20, a resident of Masirpura village, sustained serious injuries in the attack. They were initially rushed to the district hospital in Lalganj and later referred to a hospital in Varanasi due to their critical condition. According to sources, the girl succumbed to her injuries en route to the hospital in Varanasi. However, police have yet to confirm her death officially. Aditya Singh remains under treatment. Superintendent of police, city, Madhuban Kumar Singh visited the scene along with police personnel shortly after the incident. Police have launched an investigation and are examining CCTV footage from the area. A senior police officer said preliminary investigation revealed the girl, youth and her mother were sitting in the restaurant when her father reached the restaurant. He allegedly whipped out his licenced pistol and opened fire at his daughter. When the boy started fleeing, he also fired at him, causing a bullet injury in his neck. The officer said that the motive behind the shooting is under investigation. Police said that a case will be registered in this regard. The incident has caused panic in the Lalganj area, and police are continuing their efforts to collect evidence and determine the exact sequence of events....