In a shocking development, Uttarakhand police have taken three men into custody for the killing of a retired Air Force officer in Haridwar’s Bahadrabad region, a crime that unfolded two nights earlier.
ALSO READ | 21-year-old mother killed, infant, 4 others injured as SUV hits tree in Bawana
Haridwar SSP Pramod Singh Dobal revealed that the officer’s own son, 21-year-old Yashpal Singh, is believed to be the mastermind behind the attack, as per a report by news agency PTI. Investigators said he teamed up with two acquaintances, Lalit Mohan, also known as Rajan, and a man named Shekhar, with the goal of seizing his father’s multi-crore assets.
ALSO READ | 2 charred to death in major fire at night shelter in Vasant Vihar
According to officials, Yashpal initially tried to mislead the police. He phoned the control room on Saturday night claiming his father, Bhagwan Singh, had been fatally shot by a stranger who had asked for a lift near Jatwada Bridge while they were headed to a wedding in Roshnabad. He said the gunman fired as soon as he slid into the back seat, and bolted when the car stopped.
{{/usCountry}}According to officials, Yashpal initially tried to mislead the police. He phoned the control room on Saturday night claiming his father, Bhagwan Singh, had been fatally shot by a stranger who had asked for a lift near Jatwada Bridge while they were headed to a wedding in Roshnabad. He said the gunman fired as soon as he slid into the back seat, and bolted when the car stopped.
{{/usCountry}}But during a long night of questioning, officers noticed Yashpal’s version of events shifting repeatedly. Eventually, he admitted that he and his two friends had staged the entire incident, said the report.
ALSO READ | Driver gets bail in Vasant Kunj Mercedes crash that killed 1
Police said the father and son had long been at odds. Bhagwan Singh reportedly refused to hand over his properties to Yashpal, and had even warned him that he could be thrown out of the house if his behaviour didn’t improve. Yashpal allegedly lured his friends into the plot by promising them a Mahindra Scorpio and ₹30 lakh.
As per the confession, the trio lay in wait on the Jwalapur-Bahadrabad canal road around 8 pm on Saturday. Lalit Mohan approached the moving car, was introduced as a friend, and climbed in. The moment he settled inside, he allegedly fired two rounds into Bhagwan Singh’s head. Lalit then stepped out, met up with Shekhar who was stationed nearby, and the two disappeared into the darkness.
Officers later recovered a .315-bore pistol along with spent cartridges believed to have been used in the killing, the report noted.
(With inputs from PTI)