Noida: Man shot at during brawl over bursting of firecrackers

A 30-year-old man was allegedly shot at during a brawl over bursting of fire crackers in Green Park colony in Gadhi Chaukhandi village in Noida on Thursday night

A 30-year-old man was allegedly shot at during a brawl over bursting of fire crackers in Green Park colony in Gadhi Chaukhandi village in Noida on Thursday night.

Arms licences of 428 persons have been cancelled ahead of the assembly polls in Bihar. (Shutterstock Image)

The victim, Vineet (known by his first name), a resident of Khoda Colony in Ghaziabad, had come to celebrate Diwali at his maternal uncle Rajveer’s (known by his first name) place in Noida.

Harish Chander, deputy commissioner of police, Noida Central, said Rajveer runs a grocery shop near his house.

“Vineet was bursting fire crackers outside Rajveer’s house when two locals, identified as Sunil (25) and Gopal (22) (both known by their first names), reached there and also started bursting crackers,” said Chander.

A little later, Rajveer and Vineet asked Sunil and Gopal not to burst firecrackers outside their residence. However, Rajveer stated in his complaint that the two people continued bursting crackers and this led to an argument, said the DCP.

Vivek Trivedi, station house officer of Phase 3 police station, said Vineet and Rajveer picked up lathis and started beating Sunil and Gopal.

“Sunil and Gopal barged into a neighbouring tour operator’s office to take shelter. The tour operator, 45-year-old Rajkumar (known by his first name), and his father, 70-year-old Shri Pramod (known by his first name), were sitting inside the office. Vineet and his uncle suspected that Rajkumar was known to the two persons hence, they took shelter there. Vineet and Rajveer allegedly hit Rajkumar and his father with the lathis,” said the SHO.

Police said that it seemed all the four persons--Vineet, Rajveer, Sunil and Gopal--were in an inebriated state at the time of the incident.

Police said Rajkumar took out his licenced revolver and opened fire to threaten the four people and warned them to leave his office. However, the four continued attacking each other. Rajkumar then fired a shot at Vineet, who sustained an injury on his chest.

Vineet was critically injured and rushed to a private hospital in Noida, said police.

A team from phase 3 police station reached the spot and arrested Rajkumar and Gopal.

“We have seized the licenced gun used in the crime. A case has been registered against four persons--Sunil, Gopal, Rajkumar and his father--under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the IPC. The arrested suspects will be produced in court and sent to judicial custody,” said the SHO.

Police have launched a search for Sunil and Shri Pramod who are on the run. Trivedi said police will also recommend suspending Rajkumar’s weapon’s licence for its misuse.