Building residents panicked as Delhi man shot and killed wife, brothers-in-law

People living in the adjacent buildings said they were frightened by the five back-to-back gunshots. Police personnel, who arrived at the spot, said they too feared retaliation from “armed robbers” before entering the house

Minutes after a 42-year-old woman and her two brothers were shot dead, allegedly by her husband after a marital dispute escalated at their home in northwest Delhi’s Shakurpur village on Sunday night, panic prevailed among residents and shop owners in the area as they feared the shots were fired during an armed robbery.

Police said Hitendra Yadav was arrested from the fourth-floor flat of his house where the killings took place, and was booked under Indian Penal Code sections of murder and attempt to murder. (Representative image)

People living in the adjacent buildings too said they were frightened by the five back-to-back gunshots.

“I was in the room with my siblings when the firing started at our landlord’s flat. Frightened, we immediately locked ourselves in the room and decided to stay inside. We kept peeping through the window to understand what had happened. We came out only when the police personnel arrived and took control of the situation. That half an hour was really scary for us and many of our neighbours,” said Raja, living with his family in the room closest to flat where the shooting occurred.

Ahmed Ali, who works at an eatery on the ground floor of the five-storey building, said that he was busy dealing with customers when he heard the gunshots. “I got scared, shut the shop immediately and fled in fear since there was no one else except me in the shop,” said Ali.

Police personnel, who arrived at the spot, said they too feared retaliation from “armed robbers” after hearing residents’ version.

“We cocked our pistols and entered the building in a prepared way, something that we do while dealing with terrorists or armed assailants during any operation. We would have fired shots had the accused’s sons and friend not screamed about the turn of events, immediately after seeing us with guns. The accused also confessed his crime,” said a police officer, who was among the first responders at the crime scene.

Police said Hitendra Yadav was arrested from the fourth-floor flat of his house where the killings took place, and was booked under Indian Penal Code sections of murder and attempt to murder.