A juvenile has been identified as the alleged mastermind behind a double murder that took place in Delhi’s Shahdara on the evening of October 31.
The brutal shooting which left two family members dead and one injured, was a fallout of a financial dispute of ₹70,000, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shahdara, Prashant Gautam in a press conference on Friday.
"The juvenile is the mastermind behind the case," DCP Gautam stated. "In this incident, Akash, Rishabh, and Krish were shot. Akash and Rishabh have died. One juvenile has been apprehended. Prima facie, it appears there was a dispute between the juvenile and deceased Akash over ₹70,000. There is a record of previous criminal involvement, with a charge of attempted murder against the juvenile. The accused had been planning the attack for the past 15-17 days."
The shooting, which took place in Shahdara’s Farsh Bazar area, claimed the lives of Akash (40) and his 16-year-old nephew Rishabh, while Akash’s 10-year-old son, Krish, was injured but survived. Police suspect that longstanding enmity and the unresolved financial dispute motivated the fatal attack.
Eyewitnesses from the victims' family shared chilling details with news agency ANI about the lead-up to the shooting. Akash's brother, Yogesh, who also lost his son Rishabh in the attack, recounted the moments leading to the tragedy: "The incident happened around 7:30 or 8:00 pm. There were two people involved—one, who was riding a two-wheeler, my nephew; and the other, a pedestrian whom I didn’t know. My brother and son were killed by the person who accompanied my nephew,” he told ANI, revealing a past dispute over money that may have played a role in the violence.
CCTV footage has been significant in the investigation, helping the police to identify and detain the juvenile suspect. Akash's mother also provided a disturbing account of the events. She mentioned that a man named Lakshay, suspected to be involved, had been visiting the family’s lane for days prior. On the evening of the shooting, he approached her with a box of sweets, urging her to come downstairs. Moments later, she heard gunshots. “Next, I saw that my son was shot…” she said, visibly shaken.
DCP Gautam reported that a PCR call was received around 8:30 pm, alerting authorities to the incident. Upon reaching the scene, police discovered that five rounds had been fired, leaving Akash and Rishabh fatally injured and Krish wounded. Authorities are continuing to investigate, examining the juvenile's criminal background and motives linked to the financial conflict.
"At around 8.30 pm, we received a PCR call informing that there had been firing in the Bihari Colony at the Farsh Bazar area and some people were injured. Upon reaching the spot, it was known that Akash (40) his nephew Rishab (16) and his son Krish (10) had been shot. Akash and Rishab have lost their lives," DCP Shahdara said.
