Textile merchant Rajveer Sethi alias Venu, son of Vipun Kumar of Hansali Wali Gali of Petiyawala Bazaar, was shot dead by three motorcycle-riding armed assailants outside Gate Hakima police station here on Thursday night.
At the time of the incident, the victim was traveling in a car with his two friends Harjeet Singh and Sanju. Police on Friday claimed that the suspects involved in the crime have been identified and raids are underway to nab them. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Darpan Ahluwalia said, one of his associates has also been detained by the police.
The reason behind the incident is said to be the old enmity between Harjeet Singh and Sanju and the attackers.
According to preliminary investigation, Venu was traveling in a car with his two friends Harjeet and Sanju and was headed towards Gate Hakima police station. Three youths riding on two bikes were chasing them. Venu was driving the car and Harjeet was sitting with him and Sanju was in the back seat.
Sensing trouble, Venu turned the car towards Gate Hakima Police Station. When he came out of the police station and went inside the police station to save himself, the accused opened fire on him. One bullet hit Venu, who was later taken to the hospital with the help of the police. Doctors declared him dead. Before this, three months ago, several people had kidnapped him. He was receiving threatening calls for the last few days.
Venu’s mother Kiran Sethi said that they had returned from the district administrative complex after the registry of a plot in Garden Enclave. In the evening he had gone out of the house with his friends. At night, the SHO of Gate Hakima police station called him and informed him that Venu was admitted to the hospital and his condition was critical. She said that when she reached the hospital, she saw her son’s body.
ADCP Darpan Ahluwalia said that a criminal case (for firing) was registered against Harjeet and Sanju. The suspects in the case also included those who were complainants in that case. He said that the police have caught one of his associates against whom several criminal cases are registered.
