Celebratory shot fired by ex-MLA hits woman in head

NEW DELHI: Celebratory firing during New Year Eve revelry at a farmhouse in south Delhi’s Fatehpur Beri left a woman battling for life in hospital. The shots were fired by former JD(U) MLA Raju Singh, who went into hiding after the incident.
Police learnt of the incident after the woman was admitted to a private hospital in Vasant Kunj around 1 am on Tuesday. Archana Gupta (42), an architect from south Delhi, had a bullet injury at the back of her head near the ear. Finding that the bullet was lodged in her head, doctors shifted her to the intensive care unit and put her on life support.

By the time the cops were informed and reached the farmhouse, Singh and his close associates had fled from the scene. Sources later said that he has been detained from Gorakhpur, though police are yet to confirm this.

The woman’s husband, Vikas Gupta, told the cops that they were at Singh’s farmhouse, Rose Farms, in Mandi village in Fatehpur Beri for a party. He was once Singh’s partner in a now defunct pharmaceutical company. The Guptas now own a realty business in Gautam Nagar and had retained their contact with Singh.

As the party progressed towards the countdown to 2019, the former legislator, dancing in an inebriated state, procured a rifle and started firing in the air. After a couple of shots, Archana suddenly collapsed. Vikas called for help and took his wife to hospital.

At the farmhouse, the cops discovered that the courtyard where the incident had occurred had been cleaned and the used cartridges removed from the spot. The household help claimed falsely to the cops that their employer was travelling outside Delhi

“We have registered a case of attempt to murder and destruction of evidence and are pursuing the culprit,” said a police officer on Tuesday. The statements of eyewitnesses, including Vikas, were recorded in the morning. Investigative teams have been sent to Singh’s village in Muzaffarpur in Bihar.

Rose Farms is apparently owned by Singh’s mother, though the former MLA stays there with his family and his two siblings. Police are reported to have found two rifles and 800 rounds of ammunition in the house. Singh had contested elections from Sahebganj in Bihar. A controversy had erupted after his election agent was shot dead, apparently due to a turf war among his family members.