Two residents of Sikrod village in Ghaziabad had a terrifying start to the New Year after unidentified assailants opened fire at their car. While both individuals miraculously escaped without injuries, the incident has led to police filing a formal case against four accused persons.
Chilling Sequence of Events on New Year's Night
According to the Nandgram Station House Officer (SHO), the victims, identified as Harsh Kumar and his friend Ankur Chaudhary, were seated inside Harsh's red Baleno car. The alarming episode began when a black Mahindra Thar, conspicuously lacking a number plate, stopped in front of Harsh's residence.
The driver of the suspicious vehicle allegedly fired a shot into the air near the house before speeding off towards Meerut Road. When Harsh and Ankur decided to pursue the Thar, the occupants fired another round at them. This second gunshot left visible bullet marks on the Baleno car, a stark reminder of the danger the duo faced.
FIR Registered and Police Investigation
Following the attack, an First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the local police station. The police have named four individuals in the case: Amit Kajra, Pankaj Chaudhary, Sahil, and Eklavya Pathak.
The charges pressed against them are serious, including sections from the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). They have been booked under Section 115(2) for voluntarily causing hurt, Section 351(3) for criminal intimidation, and Section 109(1) for attempt to murder.
Root Cause Traced to Earlier Altercation
Police investigations reveal that the shooting was not an isolated event but the violent culmination of a previous clash. The trouble reportedly began on New Year's Eve itself when two groups were celebrating separately.
A group of people from Rajnagar Extension allegedly collided with a Baleno car. This minor accident quickly escalated, leading to a physical assault. Vyom Kumar and his friends were allegedly beaten up by a group of four to five men connected to the other party.
In a significant lead, Sunil Kumar, a local grocery shop owner and resident of Sikrod, provided a statement to the police. He reported that on Saturday, before the shooting incident, some men had visited his shop. They were inquiring about the whereabouts of his son, Harsh Kumar, in connection with the same fight. Investigators believe these visitors were the same accused named in the FIR.
The Ghaziabad police are actively pursuing the four accused based on the complaint and evidence. The case highlights the alarming use of firearms in settling personal scores, casting a shadow over New Year celebrations in the area.
