Road rage: Himachal native shot dead in Zirakpur

Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, October 10

A 35-year-old Himachal Pradesh native was shot dead on the VIP road in Zirakpur on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

The deceased has been identified as Anil Thakur, a native of Sarkaghat in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. He used to repair lifts and was putting up at Daun, Kharar, with his wife and a 10-month-old son.

According to information, 11 youths had a party at a club in Sector 26, Chandigarh, and later reached Setha Da Dhaba on the Ambala-Zirakpur highway for dinner. They had got together to celebrate the birthday of one of them, who was identified as Vivek. After having dinner, they left in two vehicles, a Fortuner and a Maruti Swift, around 1.30 am to drop one of them at his house in a society on VIP Road. While returning, Vinay, who was driving the SUV, had a war of words with the driver of another Fortuner, who was trying to overtake.

The other Fortuner was being driven by a Faridkot native, Happy Brar. A girl and a Brar’s friend were other occupants of the SUV.

Vinay and Brar had heated arguments over the issue and the two parties called up their friends to the spot. Brar’s three-four friends came in a Swift car. Vinay had rung up his friend Money, who reached there in an Accent car, along with Anil who was incidentally at his house in Zirakpur.

The two sides had a fight following which Brar pulled out his pistol and fired three shots. Two of the shots hit Anil. Money became unconscious on seeing his friend shot. Brar and his friends sped away from the spot.

The injured Anil was taken to a private hospital in Zirakpur where he died during the treatment.

The victim’s family reached the Zirakpur police station from Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh this morning. His father and brother lodged a complaint at the police station. Anil’s brother claimed that the police knew the suspects and it was for them to initiate action against them. He also alleged that the suspects were drunk.

Gurwant Singh, the SHO of the Zirakpur police station, said, “We have registered a murder case against seven persons, including the girl. We are trying to identify and trace them.”

The police said the main suspect, Brar, flaunted his links with a political party on social media, which they were trying to verify. The police said he had cases against him earlier as well. The police did not confirm the names of other suspects and whether any arrest had been made in the case or not.

How events unfolded

• Ten youths leave an eatery in a Fortuner and a car to drop a friend at a housing society on VIP Road.
• On return, another SUV with three persons, including a girl, tries to overtake their Fortuner.
• Heated arguments ensue and both groups call their friends to spot.
• The victim, Anil Thakur (35), reaches there with his friend.
• The two groups indulge in a fight.
• The person driving the other SUV, identified as Happy Brar of Faridkot, pulls out a pistol and fires three shots.
• Two bullets hit Anil. He is taken to a hospital where he dies.