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Class 12 student shot over ‘tattoo dispute’, critical; assailant kills self
Preliminary investigation suggested the shooting was triggered by the youth’s suspicion regarding a tattoo on the young woman’s body. Police believe the disagreement escalated into violence after the two argued for around 10 minutes before the incident
MEERUT What reportedly began as a bitter argument over a tattoo culminated in a horrific daytime shooting in Meerut on Wednesday evening, leaving a 19-year-old Class 12 student fighting for her life and her 22-year-old attacker dead by suicide. The accused, a listed history-sheeter, Aditya Pradhan of Shivlok Puri, allegedly shot the young woman three times before shooting himself twice in the chest, said police.
The young woman, who sustained one bullet wound to the head and two to the abdomen, is currently in critical condition at Subharti Hospital. Pradhan died on the spot.
The incident took place near Zonal Park in Defence Enclave Colony under Kankerkhera police station limits.
Preliminary investigation suggested the shooting was triggered by Aditya’s suspicion regarding a tattoo on the young woman’s body. Police believe the disagreement escalated into violence after the two argued for around 10 minutes before the shooting, said SP (city) Vinayak Gopal Bhosale.
Police officers, along with a forensic team, inspected the crime scene and recovered two illegal pistols and five spent cartridge cases.
Residents of Defence Enclave were left terrified after hearing five rapid gunshots around 4 pm. Panic spread among people walking in the park as locals rushed out of their homes to find Aditya and the woman lying in pools of blood on the road near the Zonal Park.
After residents alerted police through UP 112, officers reached the scene and found Aditya dead. The young woman was first taken to Kailashi Hospital before being referred to Subharti Hospital due to the severity of her injuries. She sustained one bullet wound to the head and two to the abdomen. Doctors described her condition as critical.
Police said the two had known each other for nearly four years. CCTV footage from the area reportedly showed the two engaged in a heated argument for approximately 10 minutes before Aditya pulled out a pistol and opened fire. After shooting the victim three times, he allegedly shot himself twice in the chest, dying on the spot.
Investigators said Aditya had completed an ITI course in 2025 and was a listed history-sheeter at Kankerkhera police station. More than six criminal cases, including charges of attempted murder and illegal arms trafficking, had been registered against him. He had been released on bail from jail on June 16.
SSP Avinash Pandey said Aditya had a long criminal record, including cases under the Arms Act, attempted murder and robbery. “The investigation are underway to ascertain the exact reason behind the crime,” he said.
According to police, Aditya had been trying to re-establish contact with the woman after his release from jail, but she had refused to speak to him. Investigators believe he called her to meet near the Zonal Park, where she arrived on a scooter while he came on a motorcycle.
Police seized the mobile phones of both, along with their vehicles, for forensic examination. Investigators were also questioning family members in an effort to establish the sequence of events and the motive behind the attack.
The homes of Aditya and the woman are located about 3 km from Defence Enclave and their neighbourhoods are close to each other. Police said both belonged to the Scheduled Caste community. As a precautionary measure, additional police personnel had been deployed outside both residences to maintain law and order.
