40-year-old man, neighbour gunned down during a robbery in Ghaziabad

A gang of eight armed men gunned down a 40-year-old man for resisting their attempt to rob his house, before shooting dead his 27-year-old neighbour, who had come to his recuse on hearing the gunshots, in Pooja Colony locality in Loni, Ghaziabad, on Monday morning.

The police initially lodged an FIR of murder, attempt to murder and house break-in, but the family said it was a case of robbery as the men also took away cash and jewellery amounting to Rs1 lakh.

The two victims were identified as Dharamvir Sharma and his neighbour Sonu Verma, who later succumbed to injuries. Sonu’s brother Babu, 22, also sustained gunshot wounds and stab injuries, but is undergoing treatment at a hospital.

According to police, the incident took place around 2.15am Monday while Sharma was asleep outside his house. His wife Maya Devi, 35, and three sons Sudhir, 17, Sunil,13, and Anil,11, were sleeping inside.

“A group of men arrived at the house, woke up Sharma and asked him to fetch water for them. When he went inside, the men also walked in and held the family at gunpoint. Thereafter, a scuffle ensued inside the house and one of the men was nabbed by the family members. Upon this, the robbers shot Sharma,” Sudhir Kumar Singh, senior superintendent of police (Ghaziabad), said.

“On hearing the gunshots, Sharma’s neighbours came to his help. Verma was also shot and killed. The men had come on foot and they fled. We are trying to find out the motive for the crime,” Kumar said.

According to police, Sharma was shot in the neck and head, while Verma sustained a bullet injury to his chest and collapsed. His brother, Babu, sustained a gunshot wound to his spine and is presently undergoing treatment.

On the basis of the family’ complaint, police lodged an FIR of murder, attempt to murder and house trespass against unidentified men at Tronica City police station. However, the family claimed that the robbers also took away cash and jewellery amounting to about ₹1 lakh.

“There were eight men in total — all masked and carrying weapons. Two were standing guard outside the house while six came inside behind my father. They held us at gunpoint. My father had kept some money at home for construction work — he had withdrawn the money from the bank only a couple of days ago,” Sudhir Sharma, the victim’s older son, said.

The family hails from Badaun district of UP and has been living in Loni for the past 15 years. They run a grocery shop from their house, while their other shop is located in the main market of the locality.

“The robbers took away cash and jewellery from our house. The police dictated our complaint and we wrote whatever they told us. It was a case of robbery as well as murder and attempt to murder,” Sudhir said.

SSP Singh said the police received a call on emergency number (100) around 3.27am in which the caller said some people has been shot. “The caller was a neighbour who told police about the gunshots. The family gave us a written complaint and an FIR was lodged. In case they wish to add more details about the incident, they can do so. All their claims will be investigated. We have formed three teams and the circle officer will camp at the locality till the case is solved,” the SSP said.