One sharp shooter, four others arrested for attacking Ghaziabad journalist

The Ghaziabad police arrested five on Monday including one of the two sharp shooters who allegedly attacked journalist Anuj Chaudhary outside his house on the evening of April 8 at Rajapur.

The Ghaziabad police arrested five people on Monday including one of the two sharp shooters who allegedly attacked journalist Anuj Chaudhary outside his house on the evening of April 8 at Rajapur.

Four of the accused named in the FIR who were arrested in day, spilled the beans about the two shooters who were hiding in Loni following which the police launched a late night raid on the hideout. The two shooters tried to flee the spot on a motorcycle which had no number plates.

“They were warned to stop near Ator Nagla but they opened fire on police team and injured Sihani Gate station house officer, Vinod Pandey. In retaliation, the police also opened fire and one of the two bikers sustained a bullet injury on his leg. The other accused fled the spot leaving the motorcycle and efforts are on to nab him at the earliest,” said Vaibhav Krishna, senior superintendent of police, Ghaziabad.

Rohit Yadav, one of the accused who was injured in the shootout with the police is from Kasganj and residing temporarily in Loni. Police said he has a murder case against him and had been booked under the Gangster Act.

Krishna said that prime conspirator, Shekhar Chaudhary, who is presently in Dasna jail, had allegedly hired two shooters for ₹7 lakh to kill Anuj Chaudhary. The victim’s wife was recently elected as a councillor on Bahujan Samaj Party ticket during the recent local body elections.

“The case is fallout of long standing rivalry between the victim and the prime conspirator Shekhar since 2003. Shekhar and shooter Rohit Yadav were lodged in Dasna jail. Yadav got bail around six months back. Shekhar allegedly planned from jail to get rid of the victim and his cousin Yogender delivered initial amount of ₹5 lakh to the two shooters near Diamond Palace (Kavi Nagar), in February,” SSP Krishna said.

On the day of the incident, the victim along with several men was walking towards his house when the men arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire. The victim sustained severe injuries after three bullets hit his abdomen and arm. He is recuperating at a hospital in Ghaziabad and stated to be stable.

The four other accused arrested in connection with the case include Shekhar’s son Vishal, brother Bobby, Vikas and Yogender alias Tunda.

The police have seized the Pulsar bike used by the two shooters and also the licensed revolver of the victim which was taken away by the accused after the attack.