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Ludhiana: Man shoots mother-in-law dead in GTB Nagar, flees
A woman was shot dead by her son-in-law during an argument over his wife, while the daughter escaped injury. The accused remains at large.
A 45-year-old woman was shot dead on Saturday afternoon in Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar of the Mundian Kalan area, allegedly by her son-in-law, who opened fire during a heated argument over his wife’s refusal to return to her matrimonial home. While the mother-in-law succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head, the accused’s wife narrowly escaped death after the firearm reportedly misfired during the initial attempt on her life.
The deceased has been identified as Poonam Pandey, a resident of Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar. The prime witness to the killing is her daughter, Sakshi, who had been residing with her mother for the past two weeks. The Jamalpur police have identified the accused as Vikram Rai, a resident of Giaspura, and his accomplice, identified as Sunil, who allegedly aided him in the crime.
According to police officials, Sakshi and Vikram had been married for approximately six months. However, the relationship was strained by domestic discord. Following a recent dispute about 15 days ago, Sakshi left her husband’s house and moved back to her parental home. Investigations suggest that Vikram had been persistently pressuring Sakshi to return to Giaspura, a demand she continued to refuse.
The incident unfolded on Saturday when Vikram arrived at the Mundian Kalan residence on a motorcycle, accompanied by Sunil. While Sunil remained stationed outside on the vehicle to ensure a quick getaway, Vikram approached the house. Upon spotting him at the gate, Sakshi reportedly sensed danger and attempted to bolt the entrance, but Vikram used force to push his way inside the premises.
Once inside, a volatile confrontation erupted between Vikram, Sakshi, and Poonam. As the argument intensified, Poonam stepped in to intervene and defuse the situation. In the heat of the moment, Vikram allegedly produced a firearm and aimed it at Sakshi. In a fortunate turn for the daughter, the weapon misfired. Undeterred, the accused fired a second shot; however, this bullet struck Poonam directly in the head.
Local neighbours, alerted by the commotion and the sound of gunfire, rushed to the house and transported a critically injured Poonam to the Ludhiana Civil Hospital. Despite medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after arrival.
Assistant commissioner of police (Industrial Area-A) Inderjit Singh Boparai, who visited the scene, stated that the Jamalpur police have recovered one live cartridge and one empty shell from the spot. The ACP noted that the investigation is currently focused on determining whether Poonam was the intended target or if she was hit while courageously shielding her daughter from the gunfire.
The police are currently in the process of recording formal statements from the grieving family members to register a First Information Report (FIR). Meanwhile, multiple police teams have been dispatched and are conducting raids at suspected hideouts to apprehend Vikram Rai and his associate, Sunil, who remain at large.
