A daylight shooting incident shook the Baraut city in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, leaving a prominent businessman and his 30-year-old son dead. The deceased have been identified as Sohanlal Agarwal and his son, Vikas Agarwal. The attack, which played out just yards away from a local police outpost, has sparked intense fury among local traders and family members, who are now demanding an immediate encounter of the history-sheeter accused, Varun Luhari.
The entire chilling sequence was captured on the CCTV cameras installed at the shop. On Tuesday afternoon, three armed miscreants arrived on two motorcycles at Sohanlal’s tent shop near the Delhi bus stand. The assailants walked in and opened indiscriminate fire on Sohanlal.
Even after being caught off guard, Vikas showed immense courage. When his father collapsed after taking a bullet to the chest, Vikas rushed out and engaged in a physical scuffle with one of the shooters. As he attempted to snatch the assailant’s pistol, a shot went off, injuring the attacker. However, a second miscreant sneaked up from behind and shot Vikas at point-blank range. Both father and son succumbed to their injuries while being rushed to the hospital.
Attacker, passerby injured in chaos
Hearing the gunshots, neighboring shopkeepers and locals bravely chased the fleeing criminals. In a desperate bid to escape, the miscreants kept firing into the air, accidentally hitting and injuring a pedestrian. Currently, both the injured passerby and the wounded assailant are undergoing treatment at a hospital under police custody.
Devastated family left behind
The tragedy has completely shattered the Agarwal household. Vikas had tied the knot just six months ago, and his wife is currently two months pregnant. With the two men of the house gone, the aging mother and her pregnant daughter-in-law are the only surviving members left in the family.
Incident rooted in 11-year-old rivalry
Investigation reveals that the double murder is the fallout of a deep-seated, 11-year-old animosity between the Agarwal family and notorious history-sheeter Varun Luhari. The feud dates back to 2015, when Varun’s brother, Kapil Luhari, was killed during a dispute at a liquor vend. Seeking vengeance for his brother’s death, Varun Luhari allegedly masterminded and executed Tuesday’s murder.
Public outrage over police negligence
The fact that the brazen double murder took place right under the nose of a nearby police outpost has triggered massive outrage. Local trade unions and residents staged protests, accusing the police of being mute spectators while criminals ran amok.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, senior police officials rushed to the spot with heavy reinforcements. The police have seized the DVRs of the CCTV cameras around the crime scene for forensic analysis and have assured the public of swift action against every individual involved in the crime.
