Himachal: Café operator shot at near Manali, accused held

Kullu superintendent of police said that the accused had entered the café with a beer bottle; adds that when objected, he took out his licensed revolver which fired and hit the victim’s leg

A café operator was shot in the leg at Jagatsukh village, about 12 kilometers from famous tourist resort of Manali in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, police said on Monday.

A café operator was shot in the leg at Jagatsukh village, about 12 kilometers from famous tourist resort of Manali in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, police said on Monday. (Image for representational purpose)

The victim, Priyal Acharya, was referred to Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Ner Chowk, in Mandi late on Sunday.

Accused Virender Sharma, a native of Jagatsukh, fled the scene after committing the crime, but was arrested later, said Kullu superintendent of police (SP) Gurdev Chand Sharma. The police recovered the licensed weapon and six live rounds from the possession of the accused.

Acharya, a resident of Prini village, said he had taken the café on lease. “On Sunday night, the staff called me informing that a person was threatening them with a revolver. I reached and enquired, but the accused shot me in the leg,” he added.

The SP said that the accused had entered the café with a beer bottle. “When objected, he took out his licensed revolver which fired and hit the victim’s leg,” he added.

“The victim’s condition is stable,” he added.

This was the second such incident in Manali town in less than a year. In June 2022, a 32-year-old Delhi businessman had shot his wife’s friend dead before turning the gun on himself at a hotel.