In a shocking incident, two sisters were shot dead in Dr Ambedkar Basti located in South Delhi’s RK Puram in the early hours of Sunday. The brutal attack was a result of an argument over a loan of Rs 10,000 given by their brother. The critically injured victims, identified as Jyoti (30) and Pinky (29), tragically lost their lives during treatment at Safdarjung Hospital. Three individuals, named Arjun, Dev and Michael have been arrested in connection with the case, according to the police.
A grainy video captured by local residents shows the terrifying moment of the shooting. Gunshots can be heard amidst a barrage of abuse, while the footage also reveals the gunmen firing their weapons before fleeing the scene.
As panic ensues, one woman can be seen lying on the ground.
According to the police, a group of 15 to 20 armed men arrived at Ambedkar Basti in RK Puram, Southwest Delhi, around 4 AM. They knocked on a door and pelted it with bricks. Despite their continuous attempts, when nobody opened the door, they eventually left. However, the attackers returned when the homeowner Lalit, who they were seeking, stepped out of the house with his two sisters to inquire about the incident. They opened fire suddenly, resulting in the tragic deaths of the sisters. Lalit was also grazed by a bullet but managed to escape. He informed the police that he had a financial dispute with a local individual named Dev.
Manoj C, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West), stated that the police received a distress call at 4:40 AM from the RK Puram police station, reporting the shooting of the caller’s sisters. Preliminary investigations revealed that the assailants targeted Lalit, the victims’ brother, due to a monetary dispute. “The prime accused and his two associates were arrested in connection with the incident,” he added.
The incident has sparked a political controversy in the national Capital. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took a swipe at Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) VK Saxena, asserting that Delhi would have been the safest place if the law and order situation were under the jurisdiction of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) instead of the L-G. Kejriwal expressed condolences to the victims’ families and criticised the handling of the law and order situation. His comments drew a sharp response from Delhi BJP leaders, including Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi, who claimed that Kejriwal lacks understanding of the law.
According to the family, the attack followed a heated argument between Lalit, their brother, and individuals who had borrowed money from him. Lalit had demanded the return of the loan, leading to the altercation. Later that night, the borrowers arrived at the house with the intention of harming Lalit, but the sisters intervened and were tragically shot instead.