Delhi police officer’s son opens fire on 2 brothers in Faridabad road rage

The two brothers were on their way to pick up relatives for a family gathering. The accused was arrested, and police seized his revolver and car.

A 26-year-old man, the son of a Delhi Police officer, allegedly opened fire on two brothers after a road rage altercation in Faridabad on Thursday night, critically injuring them, police said. The confrontation began when two cars came face to face in a narrow lane and neither driver was willing to back down.

The incident took place around 9.30pm in Bharat Colony, when the brothers, along with their cousin Piyush, 18, and Prashant’s brother-in-law Tushar, 23, were driving to New Delhi Railway Station. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO/Representational Image)

The victims, Prashant Jangra, 27, and his younger brother Prince, 23, suffered bullet wounds to their chest and neck, respectively. Both were admitted to a private hospital in Sector 21A, where Prashant is in the intensive care unit and Prince is on ventilator support, police said.

Family trip interrupted by road rage altercation

The incident took place around 9.30pm in Bharat Colony, when the brothers, along with their cousin Piyush, 18, and Prashant’s brother-in-law Tushar, 23, were driving to New Delhi Railway Station to pick up relatives arriving for a family gathering to celebrate the birth of Prashant’s child. His wife had delivered a baby four days earlier.

The group had travelled barely 100-150 metres from their home when a Maruti Suzuki Brezza, driven by the accused, Jaswant, 26, approached from the opposite direction, according to investigators privy with the case details.

Piyush, who witnessed the shooting and is the complainant in the case, told HT that Prashant was driving and flashed his headlights to signal that there was not enough space for the two cars to pass. But the Brezza continued moving towards them until the vehicles were face to face, leaving neither with room to manoeuvre.

Piyush alleged that Jaswant then stepped out of his car with a revolver and began abusing them. The brothers and their companions got out of their vehicle, while Prashant called his father to tell him that the other driver was threatening them with a weapon.

“He then came out of his car holding his revolver without any provocation. Prashant had asked him to give him pass but he was irked that how we could not allow him to go first,” Piyush said. “However, as soon as the call was disconnected, Jaswant opened fire from close range and shot Prashant in the chest,” he alleged.

When Prince tried to overpower the accused, Jaswant shot him in the neck, Piyush said. Prince collapsed, while the accused fired two more rounds. Piyush and Tushar managed to escape unhurt.

Piyush alleged that Jaswant continued to stand at the spot with his weapon even as family members began arriving. “He taunted us that we can put all our efforts but nothing will happen to him,” he said.

Brothers taken to hospital

Despite his injuries, Prashant got behind the wheel and drove a short distance in an attempt to take his unconscious brother to a nearby hospital. Doctors there, however, advised the family to shift both injured men to another hospital as their condition was critical, a crime branch officer said.

The brothers were subsequently taken by ambulance to a private hospital in Sector 21A. The accused remained at the scene for several minutes and fled only after some of his family members arrived, the officer said.

Accused arrested, weapon seized

Police identified Jaswant as a resident of Bharat Colony and the son of an assistant sub-inspector with Delhi Police. He works as a computer operator at a private hospital in Faridabad and holds an arms licence in his name, according to Faridabad Police. He was arrested on Friday.

“His licensed revolver used in the shooting, along with seven live cartridges and the Brezza car, have been seized,” said Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad Police.

On Piyush’s complaint, an FIR was registered at Kheri Pul police station on Friday under Section 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with attempt to murder, and relevant provisions of the Arms Act. The licensed revolver used in the shooting has been recovered, police said.