A heady mix of debt, depression and drunkenness turned fatal for a Ghaziabad family when a 42-year-old debt-ridden businessman shot at his wife and daughter and killed his son on Saturday.
Businessman Pramod Kumar Garg, who is also a law graduate, was drunk and depressed when he shot dead his 11-year-old son, Shivam, and also critically injured his wife, Charu, and 14-year-old daughter Namisha at their residence on Saturday night, police said.
Garg runs a mattress business from Ramte Ram Road market. Late on Saturday, he walked to his first floor house in Kanhaiyalal Colony, took out his licensed pistol and shot Charu, police said.
"Hearing the gun shots, the two children came out and were also shot by Garg. The victims were later rushed to Yashoda Hospital where Shivam succumbed to injuries sustained in his chest and abdomen," Ghanta Ghar police station Inspector Yogesh Pathak said.
Shivam, a Class 6 student and Namisha, a Class 10 student, studied in Chabil Das Public School (CDPS).
Namisha suffered a bullet wound in the thigh area while her mother, who is in a critical state, also suffered a gun shot, police said.
{{/usCountry}}Namisha suffered a bullet wound in the thigh area while her mother, who is in a critical state, also suffered a gun shot, police said.
{{/usCountry}}"Later, Garg tried to commit suicide but was stopped by his injured wife. The family was supposed to visit Tirupati temple on April 14," Inspector Yogesh Pathak said.
The accused is part of a joint family in Kanhaiyalal Nagar and originally belongs to Bulandshahr district of UP.
Garg and his brother have their respective businesses in Ghaziabad and both were doing well, police said.
After he was taken to the police station, Garg reportedly said he used to work with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) but was terminated in 2007 on account of irregularities.
“I was under the influence of alcohol and under depression at the time of the incident. I don't remember how the incident took place. After termination from the CPWD, I started a business but it could not take off. I owed Rs 5-6 lakh to people,” Garg told Hindustan Times.