Three members of a local councilor’s family were shot dead after a heated argument during a birthday party at a gym in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district, police said on Sunday.
The killings unfolded at RJS Fitness Gym on Subhash Marg during a party hosted by 33-year-old gym operator Jeetu Saini. Several youths gathered when a dispute broke out around 11pm between Jeetu and Amardeep, 35, cousin of ward 24 councilor Sanjay Saini. The argument escalated with abusive language being used, with Manish, 32, attracting Amardeep’s brother.
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Police said Gitto left the gym and returned with a licensed handgun and opened fire. He shot Amardeep and Manish at close range. Akash, 19, Sanjay Saini’s nephew, was chased down and shot in the head as he tried to escape. The three died instantly.
Panic gripped the gym as revelers hid behind equipment. The accused fled after removing the digital video recording device of the surveillance cameras to destroy evidence.
An FIR is yet to be lodged, but senior officers, including Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Kalanidhi Naithani, examined the spot. Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) Antrikesh Jain has formed teams to hunt down the accused.
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Circle Officer (CO) Shashank Srivastava said preliminary investigation points to alcohol as a factor from which liquor bottles and cigarettes were recovered. Police are also examining an old rivalry over Saini Dharamshala and possible political links, as the accused reportedly had ties with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
“The Christmas dispute appears to be the immediate cause, though the exact motive is under investigation. Six teams have been formed to arrest the accused and determine the sequence of events,” Kalanidhi Naithani said.
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Relatives of the victims said that the victims were major sources of income for the family. “Manish left behind a two-year-old daughter, while Amardeep left behind a five-year-old son and an infant daughter. Akash was looking for work. The family has also lost another member in the past year,” Sanjay Saini said.
Police added that more than 15 people have been detained for questioning, and nearby surveillance camera footage is being analysed.
