A festive Diwali celebration turned to tragedy in Delhi’s Shahdara district on Thursday evening when a man and his teenage nephew were shot dead. The incident occurred around 8 PM in the Farsh Bazar area, where the victims were celebrating the holiday outside their residence.
CCTV footage of the incident revealed a shocking sequence of events. Akash Sharma, 44, was celebrating with his nephew Rishabh Sharma, 16, and his son Krish Sharma, 10, while bursting firecrackers in the street. In the footage, a 16-year-old boy arrives on a two-wheeler, greets Mr. Sharma by touching his feet, while the shooter stands nearby. Moments later, the shooter opened fire, unleashing about five bullets at Akash Sharma, fatally wounding him and injuring his son. Rishabh chased after the assailants but was also shot and killed.
#delhi के शाहदरा में पहले दी दीवाली की बधाई , पैर छुएँ, और गोली मार हत्या कर दी। pic.twitter.com/EiethSO0Kx
— Kuldeep Bhardwaj (@KuldeepBLIVE) November 1, 2024
According to police, the motive for the attack stems from a financial dispute. The detained 16-year-old had lent money to Mr. Sharma, who allegedly failed to repay the debt. Authorities indicated that Mr. Sharma’s family had a history of legal issues, with several cases registered against them in the past.
Police have since detained the teenager who hired the shooter, and further investigations are ongoing to ascertain the full details of the case. The community remains in shock over the violent turn of events during a time typically associated with joy and celebration.
