Man shot dead in celebratory firing at UP wedding; FIR against bride’s cousin

Locals said the bride’s cousin, Sugreev Solanki, was firing shots into the air as part of the wedding rituals when a bullet hit Dharmendra Bhati

Updated on: Nov 28, 2025, 19:38:43 IST

By Deepak Lavania

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Meerut: A 36-year-old man was shot dead during celebratory firing at a wedding celebration in Khanpur village of Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district on Thursday night, police said.

Station House Officer (SHO) Balram Singh said that the postmortem was conducted on Friday. (Representative photo)

Locals said the bride’s cousin, Sugreev Solanki, was firing shots into the air as part of the wedding rituals when a bullet hit Dharmendra Bhati, who was seated on a chair directly in front of him. After the incident, Solanki fled the spot.

Station House Officer (SHO) Balram Singh said that the postmortem was conducted on Friday. “On the basis of the complaint received, an FIR (First Information Report) for murder has been registered against Sugreev Singh. The absconding accused will be arrested soon,” the SHO said.

Bhati died while being taken to a hospital. “Someone from the baraat informed the police, who arrived and sent the body for postmortem,” an officer said.

Bhati, a resident of Ajaynagar, was an active BJP worker. He is survived by two daughters and a son.

His cousin, Pushpesh, alleged that the firing was not accidental and claimed that Solanki intentionally shot Bhati before fleeing.

BJP district president Vikas Chauhan and MLA Laxmi Raj Singh offered their condolences.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Deepak Lavania
Deepak Lavania is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times, reporting on the diverse and fast-evolving landscape of Western Uttar Pradesh. Currently based in Meerut, he has a decade of experience in journalism and has covered most major beats, from civic issues to crime, politics, and defence. Previously, he was associated with The Times of India, where he covered a wide range of significant stories across the region. His reports on the degradation of the ecologically sensitive Yamuna ravines near the Taj Mahal were taken into cognisance by the National Green Tribunal, which directed the government to demarcate the Yamuna floodplains. Rooted in his hometown of Taj City of Agra, Deepak takes immense pride in the rich history, heritage, and traditions of Braj culture. Beyond journalism, he is passionate about long-distance running, strength training, and mountaineering. A certified mountaineer and recipient of the prestigious Silver Ice Axe Badge from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, he embraces challenges both in the mountains and on the road, while finding a sense of calm and clarity through swimming, which he considers a form of meditation.Read More

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