1 booked for killing advocate over property dispute in Noida Phase 2

Police have booked an unidentified person for shooting dead a 30-year-old advocate allegedly over a property dispute in Ilhabas village in Noida Phase 2 on Monday night

Police have booked an unidentified person for shooting dead a 30-year-old advocate allegedly over a property dispute in Ilhabas village in Noida Phase 2 on Monday night.

Family members and advocates at the crime spot in Ilahabas village in Noida on Tuesday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT)

The victim, identified as Nishant Pilwan, had gone to visit a relative in the same village on Monday afternoon, where a person had died that day. On his way home, a motorcycle-borne man allegedly shot and killed him, said police, adding that they have detained two persons in connection with the crime.

Harish Chander, deputy commissioner of police, Noida Central, said, “Pilwan was about to enter his house around 9:30pm on Monday when the suspect, on a motorcycle, opened fire at him. Pilwan suffered two gunshot wounds to the chest and back, and collapsed on the spot.”

Advocate Dinesh Awana, a friend of Pilwan’s, said the victim’s family members and locals reached the spot on hearing the gunshots, and rushed Pilwan to a private hospital in Noida Sector 110 where the doctors declared him dead.

“This is a very sad incident, and we urge the police to arrest the suspects at the earliest,” Awana said, adding that a number of locals also gathered in front of the victim’s house to protest against the crime. Pilwan’s father Prem Singh filed a complaint against an unknown person at the Phase 2 police station. Chander said a team from the Phase 2 police station and forensic experts visited the spot on Monday night.

Sujeet Upadhyaya, SHO Phase 2 police station, said a case has been registered against an unknown person under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 302 (murder).

“Preliminary investigation shows that the victim had a dispute with his 30-year-old cousin Sandeep, over a piece of land. Police have launched a search for Sandeep, who is on the run. We have also announced ₹25,000 reward on information leading to his arrest... His sister also had disputes with her in-laws. We have formed four teams and detained two persons for questioning in the case. We are trying to solve the case at the earliest,” Chander added.

Manoj Bhati, president of Gautam Budh Nagar Bar Association, said that the association had called a condolence meeting on Tuesday. “Police have found that there is a property dispute angle in the case. We hope that the case is solved at the earliest,” he said. Pilwan is survived by his wife and two children.