Protests erupt over killing of 55-year-old trader by two robbers in Ghaziabad
The victim was shot dead near the entrance of his house and the two motorcycle-borne robbers fled with his bag containing cash.
Hundreds of wholesale traders on Thursday afternoon staged a protest and blocked the Grand Trunk Road near Hapur crossing following the murder of a 55-year-old oil trader on Wednesday night. The man was shot dead near the entrance of his house and the two motorcycle-borne robbers fled with his bag containing cash.
The victim was identified as Vijendra Garg, a resident of Nasratpura. He had a wholesale business of vegetable oil at Ghanta Ghar market in Ghaziabad city.
Around 9pm on Wednesday, two bikers arrived at his house and shot him dead. Garg was parking his two-wheeler when he was killed.
“We have sent the body for an autopsy and traders were pacified with an assurance that the case will be solved soon. The road blockade was also cleared as soon as the police arrived at the spot. We suspect the involvement of a person known to the victim in the crime. We are scanning the CCTV footage and are also using electronic surveillance to track the assailants,” Shlok Kumar, superintendent of police (city), said.
Garg was on his two-wheeler, with his employees Sewa Ram and Anil Paswan riding pillion, police said.
“As soon as the three men arrived at Garg’s home, the robbers pushed the two employees inside the house and Garg to hand over his two-wheeler keys. When he declined, they snatched his bag and fled after firing at Garg thrice. two fo the bullets hit Garg, leading to his death. There are different versions about the amount of cash in the bag,” Kumar said.
Paswan later gave a police complaint after which the police registered an FIR under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 392 (robbery) at Kotwali police station.
Traders from various markets in and around Ghanta Ghar demanded the immediate arrest of the suspects and said the markets in the area will remain shut till the arrests are made.