22-yr-old pharmacy employee shot dead by 3 men at friend’s shop in Loni: Police

The victim, identified as Sonu Khan, a resident of the nearby Chirodi area, was having snacks at a friend’s shop in the market around 9 pm when the attack took place.

 A 22-year-old medical store employee was shot dead by three bike-borne assailants at Banthla-Chirodi Road in Ghaziabad’s Loni late Thursday evening, police said.

Police said Sonu Khan appeared to have sustained two bullet injuries in the attack. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The victim, identified as Sonu Khan, a resident of the nearby Chirodi area, was having snacks at a friend’s shop in the market around 9 pm when the attack took place.

“While the victim was at his friend’s shop, three bikers arrived and fired shots at him before fleeing. His friend informed his family and rushed him to a hospital in Delhi, where he was declared dead on arrival. The victim sustained at least two bullet injuries,” said Ram Kishan, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Loni Circle.

Khan’s family lodged a formal complaint early Friday morning, following which an FIR under Section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered against four persons.

According to the FIR, Khan’s brother said he had gotten into an altercation with the three accused about 10 to 15 days ago over a payment dispute at the medical store where he worked. HT has reviewed a copy of the FIR.

Kishan said the family has raised suspicions about the involvement of the victim’s friend, who had called him to his shop. The friend was called in for questioning, but he has not revealed anything significant regarding the murder.

The police officer said the three suspects named in the FIR were on the run and multiple teams have been formed to trace them.

The officer, however, underlined that an investigation was underway to establish the exact motive behind the killing.