DEHRADUN: A 21-year-old man, described by police as a drug addict, allegedly shot his elder brother dead after being confronted for stealing money from their father's bank account. The accused later staged a protest with the victim's body in an attempt to mislead investigators.
Incident Details
The victim, Sohail Haroon, a local advocate, was shot in the neck inside his house in Bhuddi village of Dehradun on Sunday night. The accused has been identified as his younger brother, Shahid Haroon.
Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Singh Dobal said that Sohail had recently discovered that Shahid had stolen their father’s ATM card and withdrawn approximately Rs 10 lakh from the bank account for personal expenses. Sohail confronted Shahid and allegedly beat him over the theft, which led Shahid to plan the murder.
Premeditated Murder
According to police, the two brothers were alone at home as their parents had left for Haj about three weeks earlier. Shahid allegedly deactivated the recording function of the CCTV cameras installed in the house two days before the incident, keeping only the live feed operational.
On Sunday night, Shahid shot Sohail with a .32-bore country-made pistol and later hid the weapon in the bathroom, the SSP said. Shahid then pretended to be a grieving brother when a local resident arrived after hearing a gunshot. He claimed that an unidentified intruder had entered the house and shot his brother.
Attempt to Mislead Investigators
In an effort to divert suspicion, the accused allegedly provoked relatives and local residents to place Sohail’s body on the Dehradun–Paonta National Highway and block traffic, Dobal said. A police team reached the spot after receiving information about the highway blockade. Forensic teams collected evidence from the scene, following which the pistol was recovered from the bathroom.
Legal Proceedings
Patel Nagar Kotwali police registered two separate cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The first pertains to murder and concealment of evidence, while the second relates to blocking the highway and misbehaving with police personnel, the SSP added. Further investigation in the case is underway.
