In a horrific incident that sent shivers down the spine of onlookers, the personal security officer (PSO) of Gurugram Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Krishna Kant Sharma sprayed bullets on the judge’s wife and his teenaged son in a crowded market area in Sector 49 of the Millennium City on Saturday around 3.30 pm. The PSO, identified as Head Constable Mahipal, shot the ASJ’s wife in her chest twice and then turned to pump three bullets into the back of her son’s head.
As both mother and son lay writhing in pain on the road, diabolical bystanders preferred to capture the gory details on their mobile phones. It took a while before the police was informed about the incident and the critically injured were rushed to a nearby hospital from where they were shifted to Medanta Hospital. The ASJ’s wife succumbed to injuries late on Saturday night.
Gurugram East DCP Sulochna Gajraj said preliminary investigation has revealed that the gunner lost his cool after he was reportedly admonished for not taking out the car from the parking. However, the police said that the motive behind firing is not clear yet.
A video shot by a passerby shows that people started scurrying for safety as Constable Mahipal opened fire. After the victims fell on the ground, the accused, donning police uniform, is seen trying to lift the judge’s son to put him in a car, but as he could not do so, he ran away leaving the teenager in the heap of blood. The accused PSO was later apprehended from Faridabad.
ASJ’s wife Ritu, 38, and his 18-year-old son Dhruv had gone for shopping in the Arcadia market. They were accompanied by the judge’s PSO. “Some locals informed the police about gunshots being fired outside the Arcadia market. When a police team reached the spot, they found Ritu and Dhruv lying in a pool of blood,” the DCP said.
“They were taken to Medanta Hospital,” the DCP said, adding, “Constable Mahipal was later arrested from Faridabad.”
According to officials, the ASJ was attending a meeting convened by District and Sessions Judge RK Sondhi when he was informed about the incident by the police. The meeting was stopped and judge left for the hospital along with fellow judges.
As the news was relayed on the police control room, many police teams were put on the job to nab the accused PSO Mahipal, who had run away after committing the crime. Gurugram Police Commissioner KK Rao himself came on the police wireless net and directed concerned unit to apprehend the accused. He was intercepted by two teams of Crime Branch in Gwal Pahari area in Faridabad and was overpowered.
Police said that Mahipal was brought to Sector 56 police station. Sources said that the accused PSO was behaving in a weird manner and was parading as a lunatic.
Police Commissioner KK Rao told the media that the accused PSO will be examined by psychiatrists.