1 dead, 2 injured in clash over poll rivalry in Palwal

Gurugram, October 5

A man was shot dead while his sister-in-law and nephew were critically injured in a bloody clash between two parties in Allika village in Palwal on Wednesday night due to a rivalry over Panchayat elections.

The injured are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Faridabad.

An FIR has been registered against 20 suspects. The police have taken some suspects into custody for questioning.

According to the police, Amit, a resident of Allika village, filed a complaint stating that his sister-in-law Pinky and another woman, Nisha, had contested for the election of sarpanch in the village. Nisha had won the election. Amit claimed that it later came to the light that Nisha had submitted a fake educational qualification certificate for the election. His uncle’s son Utkarsh then filed an RTI against the sarpanch in the DC office and on CM window.

On September 27, Nisha was called to the DC office for her reply to the RTI. Nisha was accompanied by her husband Hemraj and two other people, Hitesh and Vishal. Utkarsh was also present at he DC office.

Utkarsh claimed that Nisha earlier threatened him with dire consequences in the parking lot of the DC office. He said she warned him to withdraw the RTI or else face consequences along with his family.

“It was late on Wednesday night that suspect Nisha along with her husband and some other people reached my uncle’s house in an SUV and two bikes and started hurling abuses. On hearing the noise I along with my brother and other family members went out. On seeing us, Hemraj and Yashpal Fauji said no one could save us today and started firing indiscriminately with illegal weapons,” Amit said.

He said they later entered into their house and fired two bullets that hit his leg and while a number of bullets also hit his aunt Gulbiri’s leg. The suspects then shot his uncle Sumer in his stomach. The suspects then left after firing some shots in the air and waving their weapons.

While Sumer was declared dead during treatment, Amit and his aunt were taken to a hospital and are undergoing treatment.

“This was a conspiracy on the part of the suspects. Former sarpanch Mahender and his men had murdered my father Bharatlal in 2016. Taking revenge for his death, we got Digambar killed,” Amit added in his complaint.

“We have detained some suspects, who are being interrogated. All suspects will be arrested soon,” Palwal DSP Sakir Hussain said.