Three men were arrested on Thursday in connection with the death of a 20-year-old man, who was shot in Ghaziabad’s Khushi Vatika on Diwali after he objected to the suspects playing cards with the locals. The incident was a clash of egos, Ghaziabad Police said, adding one suspect was still absconding.
Ashu Kumar, a local resident, sustained a gunshot wound around 9pm on Monday night and died at the hospital during treatment. His family had filed a case of murder against unidentified suspects, said police officials.
Police said the prime suspect, 24-year-old Prashant Sharma, alias Shahrukh Kaliya, a Etah resident, and his local friends 19-year-old Sachin Thakur, alias Damru, and Heera Ali, 21, were arrested from near the Banthla Canal area. A fourth suspect, Vikas Kumar, alias Chabi, is absconding, officials added.
“Prime suspect Sharma had arrived in Khushi Vatika to take his wife home from his in-laws’ house. Sharma and his local friends were bursting crackers at a vacant plot nearby. There, some locals were also playing cards. So, Sharma said that he and his friends would also join them. Kumar (the deceased), who was also standing there, however, objected, saying outsiders would not be allowed to join the game. This led to a clash of egos,” said assistant commissioner of police (ACP) (Ankur Vihar circle) Gyan Prakash Rai.
Moments later, Sharma and Vikas pulled out country-made weapons.Sharma fired the gun at Kumar, hitting him in the abdomen, the ACP said.
“Sharma and his friends then fled the scene. The injured man’s family rushed him to a hospital but he died during treatment on the same night. His family registered an FIR for murder and suspected the role of a local with whom the deceased had a fight about two months ago. During the investigation, the said local man’s location was found in Jaunpur. So, his involvement was ruled out,” the officer added.
Officials said that the police then scanned the area’s CCTV footage and also gathered information about the area. This lead them to three suspects. They were arrested on Thursday from near the Banthla Canal area, and an additional Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section of 3(5) (common intention) was added to the investigation.