Unidentified armed miscreants struck terror in Khurja Kotwali Nagar area of Bulandshahr when they opened indiscriminate fire and killed a 65-year-old elderly person inside a mosque just after prayers on Friday morning.
Reports said that Idris, a resident of Sheikh Pen area of Khurja Kotwali Nagar, had gone to offer namaz on Friday morning. As he was sitting in the mosque, suddenly some unidentified miscreants came and opened indiscriminate fire at him. After confirming that Idris had died, the miscreants rushed out and fired a few more rounds in the air before fleeing.
The shooting created panic in the area, especially as the firing took place inside a mosque, that too on Friday.
Soon after learning of the daring firing, Meerut Range Inspector General of Police Praveen Kumar, District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh and Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar reached the spot for inspection.
Praveen Kumar said that the relatives of the deceased had given a complaint naming three persons and action was being taken on the complaint. He said the accused would be arrested and sent to jail as soon as possible.
Kumar, however, did not say anything when asked how the miscreants easily executed the crime and escaped when the police were on alert on Friday.
Idris was father of five children -- Aas Mohamed, Anwar, Irfan, Imran and Farooq -- and they are engaged in business. Idris’ wife Fahmida said that they had enmity with a local gangster, Sarfaraz, living in the same locality.
Sarfaraz had demanded money as Rs extortion’ from Imran two years back following which Idris had lodged a report with the local police and Sarfaraz was arrested and sent to jail. A few months back, after his release, Sarfaraz had threatened that he would not just settle scores with the family but would also collect the money as Rs extortion’ demanded earlier by him.
Fahmida said that now Sarfaraz and his henchmen had killed her husband.
Meanwhile, in another sensational incident in Barabanki, a man killed his wife and elder brother on Friday afternoon in Shuklapur village under Subeha police station. The man’s father was also injured with a sharp-edged weapon.
The man later went to the terrace of the house and opened fire himself. The man and his father were taken to hospital in critical condition.
Prima facie it seems to be killing over illicit relationships.
Reports said that Vijay Kumar (35), a resident of Shukulpur village, on Friday noon killed his wife Anjali (34) along with his elder brother, as both were allegedly having illicit relations. When his father, Raj Narayan (65), tried to rescue the victims, Vijay attacked him also with a sharp-edged weapon.
Vijay later went upstairs and opened fire at himself after which the local residents came to know about the incident and called the police.
Vijay was taken in custody after registering a case against him.
Superintendent of Police of Barabanki, Anurag Vats, who visited the spot, claimed that prima facie the incident took place over illicit relations but they were also looking into other angles as well.