Noida: Man shot at during argument over bursting crackers

NOIDA: A 26-year-old youth was shot at after an argument between two groups over bursting of crackers in Sector 121 turned violent. He is being treated at a private hospital.
Around 10pm on Thursday, three youths — Sunil, Anil and Gopal — were bursting crackers in front of Rajveer’s provision store in Gadhi Chaukhandi village. When Rajveer objected to the same, an argument broke out between him and the youths, police said. The youths allegedly told Rajveer that they would burst crackers there itself and asked him if the area belonged to his father. However, the three youths soon left the spot only to return with some more supporters.
“The three returned to the spot with Sunil and Gopal’s friend Rajkumar and the latter’s father Shripal. They got together and started to burst crackers outside Rajveer’s house,” Phase III SHO Vivek Trivedi said.
Rajveer soon came out of his house and confronted the accused. The youths again hurled abuses at him. This agitated Rajveer’s family members, and his nephew Vineet and brother Lokpal too joined him outside the house.
Vineet and Lokpal attacked Sunil, Gopal, Anil, Rajkumar and Shripal with sticks.
“All, including Rajkumar’s father, were badly beaten up. This infuriated Rajkumar who brought his licensed pistol to the spot and resorted to firing. While one gunshot was fired in the air, the second one hit Vineet in the lower abdomen,” Trivedi said. DCP (central Noida) Harish Chander said that the fight started over bursting of crackers and snowballed into a violent tussle.
“The injured youth was rushed to a private hospital, where he is recuperating. Rajkumar and Gopal have been arrested. Shripal, Anil and Sunil, however, remain absconding,” he said.
Vineet’s cousin Atul told TOI that he continues to be in a critical condition.
An FIR has been lodged in the case against Rajkumar, Shripal, Anil and Gopal under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).