Dehradun: 7 teams formed to arrest 4 suspects in retd brigadier killing case

DEhradun: sevener teams feature been formed to stay the quaternion suspects absconding in the cleanup of a 74-year-old retired brigadier, who was struck by a stray bullet during a shootout between occupants of two cars engaged in a high-speed pursuit following a late-night brawl at a city club, police said on Tuesday.“Seven teams have been formed to arrest the four absconding accused in the case. They will be arrested soon," Superintendent of police (city) Pramod Kumar said.Kumar said that police have intensified enforcement against drunk driving, hooliganism, and bars and pubs found flouting norms or operating beyond prescribed hours. Meanwhile, following instructions from chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in-charge of Kuthal Gate police outpost and a deputy excise inspector have been suspended over their alleged negligence in Monday's incidentThose suspended with immediate effect were sub-inspector Ashok Kumar, in-charge of Kuthal Gate outpost, and deputy excise inspector Soban Singh (excise range-3, Mussoorie).Police on Monday arrested four people for the crime from the two brawling groups. They were identified as Rohit Kumar (20), resident of Uttam Nagar in Delhi, Mohammad Akhlaq (23), resident of Bihar, club owner Sandeep Kumar (43), resident of Nangloi in Delhi, and Aditya Chaudhary from the second group (20), resident of Raipur in Dehradun.Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Pramendra Dobha ruled out speculation that road rage was behind the tragedy.“The occupants of the Scorpio waited outside the club till early morning and then chased the Fortuner. During the firing, the brigadier, who was out on morning walk, was hit by a bullet in the chest,” he added.Police said the Fortuner lost control after the firing and crashed into a tree near a government primary school in the village. Following the crash, the Scorpio occupants allegedly assaulted those inside the Fortuner and damaged the vehicle. Two people travelling in the Fortuner sustained injuries and were taken to a hospital, police added.The police registered a first information report (FIR) against unidentified people under section 103 (1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Rajpur police station, based on Upreti’s complaint.Upreti, in his complaint, said they were out on a morning stroll when they reached near a government primary school and noticed a white car and a black car approaching at high speed.“Within minutes, a shot was fired with the intention to kill. The bullet hit my brother-in-law in the chest, and he collapsed. He was bleeding profusely. With the help of SP Sharma and others, we took him to Max Hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” he said.