Hotel owner opens fire, 3 injured

Three people, including two passersby, were injured in a shooting at a hotel in Pataudi on Tuesday morning. The hotel operator, Raj Kumar, was taken into custody after allegedly opening fire with his licensed pistol during a confrontation over a couple who had eloped.

According to the police, the incident occurred around 11.30 am. Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered a boy and a girl from Pataudi had run away from home and were staying at the hotel. When the girl’s family learned of this, they arrived at the hotel with a large group, demanding the couple be handed over.

The situation became tense as the crowd attempted to enter the hotel. Allegedly, when the situation turned violent, the hotel operator Raj Kumar, who is a former army man, fired five rounds from his revolver. Three individuals were injured in the incident — Wasim, a relative of the girl and two passersby, Sandeep and Saurabh, who had approached the hotel after noticing the commotion. All three were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, with Wasim being referred to a hospital in Gurugram.

The police said they have seized the hotel’s CCTV footage and registered an FIR at the Pataudi police station. They said investigations are ongoing and the hotel owner, Raj Kumar, is being questioned by authorities.

“The hotel operator, Raj Kumar, was retired from the army. Wasim is the girl’s relative, while Sandeep and Saurabh were innocent bystanders. The injured have been treated and further investigations are underway,” said a spokesperson for Gurugram police. — OC