Family of woman killed in celebratory firing in Delhi to be questioned after last rites

Investigators said that Archna Gupta’s 14-year-old daughter was standing near her father at the time of the incident. Police said they would question the husband and the daughter after the final rites are performed.

“Around 12 am, Archana, my daughter and I hugged and wished each other and then Archana went back to the dance floor... After five minutes again shots were fired by Raju Singh and I suddenly noticed that Archana fell down and I rushed towards her. She had blood on her face,” read the FIR that Archana’s husband Vikas Gupta filed with the police on Tuesday.

Archna Gupta succumbed to injuries she sustained during a celebratory firing at a Delhi farmhouse during a New Year party. (Sourced)

In it, he confirmed that the family was at JD(U) former MLA Raju Singh’s new year party in Mandi Village on Monday night.

Investigators said that Gupta’s 14-year-old daughter was standing near her father at the time of the incident. Police said they would question the husband and the daughter after the final rites are performed.

Among the questions that police intend to ask Vikas is why he did not inform them after his wife was shot, said police, adding that they got to know of the incident from hospital staff.

In the FIR, Archana’s husband Vikas Gupta told police that he knew Raju Singh’s brother Sanjiv for the last 25 years.

Police have also mentioned in the FIR that the speakers at the dance floor had been removed when police arrived and that the blood had been washed away. The DCP said they have examined at least 20 witnesses so far to recreate the crime scene.

“Till Wednesday, Gupta continued to be critical and was on life support. Despite best efforts by team of doctors the patient could not be revived and was declared brain dead on Wednesday. Thereafter, the proposal to donate her organs for a larger cause was discussed with the family. Post consultation, the family agreed to donate her kidneys.....,” the hospital said.

Mangla Dembi, facility director of the hospital said they thank the donor’s family for recognising the importance of organ donation. “It was also the clockwork precision of all internal and external medical teams which made this cadaveric donation a reality,” the director said.