According to police, the victim Afaq Ali (30), a tailor, was shot dead in a dark alley opposite Mehtab’s house. He is survived by his wife and three children. Ali’s mother-in-law Kaneez Shaukat spotted him “lying face down and crying in pain” around 5 pm, and rushed him to a hospital. (Representational Image)Tied to a locked door with a leash, 16-month-old German Shepherd, Jack, was the centre of attention at northeast Delhi’s Janta Colony on Monday — a day after his owner allegedly shot dead a 30-year-old man for throwing a brick at his pet. With the accused, 34-year-old Mehtab, and his family on the run, Jack is now being looked after by neighbours, who drop by to feed it biscuits and rice. An FIR under IPC section 302 (murder) and section 27 of the Arms Act has been filed against Mehtab at Welcome police station.
“There are 18 previous cases registered against the accused, including of robbery. He is a registered criminal, and was released from jail in November 2016,” said DCP (northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur.
According to police, the victim Afaq Ali (30), a tailor, was shot dead in a dark alley opposite Mehtab’s house. He is survived by his wife and three children. Ali’s mother-in-law Kaneez Shaukat spotted him “lying face down and crying in pain” around 5 pm, and rushed him to a hospital.
“There were a lot of people around him, but no one told me what had happened. When I was taking him to the hospital, he told me Mehtab had shot him for hitting his dog with a brick because the animal was chasing him,” she claimed.
The FIR, filed by Shaukat, alleges that Ali told her: “When I hit the dog, Mehtab said ‘tune kutte ko ith kaise maar di, abhi bataata hoon tujhe’. He then shot me.” Ali was rushed to GTB Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
In the cramped lane, there is a veil of silence over the incident, with most residents claiming they were not home at the time of the incident. Before being whisked away by his mother, a 10-year-old boy said, “I heard the sound of a cracker and saw many people rush out.”
A 30-year-old resident who did not wish to be named claimed: “Everyone is scared of Mehtab and his family. They get into fights often. Most residents have seen him brandishing a gun over minor issues. He has also served time in jail. It’s a small colony and word travels fast, so no one wants to be heard or seen talking ill of Mehtab or his family.”
