Delhi minor hires shooter to kill uncle on Diwali; 2 dead

A 40-year-old man and his teenaged nephew were shot dead while his 10-year-old son was injured after two armed men opened fire outside their residence in Delhi's Shahdara on Thursday, an official said.

While Akash Sharma alias Chottu and his nephew, Rishabh Sharma (16), were killed in the incident, Krish Sharma (10) sustained bullet injuries, the official said, adding that the victims were celebrating Diwali outside their house in Shahdara's Farsh Bazar area when they were attacked on Thursday.

"On receiving a PCR call at about 8.30 pm, a police team was dispatched. The team found blood at the spot," the official said.

Eyewitnesses told police that the assailants touched the feet of Akash Sharma before opening fire at him. All the victims were rushed to a hospital.

Akash Sharma's son Krish and nephew Rishabh, who were standing nearby, were also hit by bullets.

The officer said Akash Sharma and Rishabh Sharma were declared dead by doctors at the hospital while Krish Sharma is undergoing treatment.

Prima facie, it seem to be a case of personal enmity, police said.

Statements of the victims' family members will be recorded and further investigations are underway, they added.

According to Yogesh, Akash’s brother and Rishab’s father, two individuals were involved in the shooting -- one on a two-wheeler, who was Yogesh's nephew, and another pedestrian.

"My brother and son were killed by the person with my nephew. My brother had a prior money dispute with someone," he recounted.

Akash's mother added that one of the suspects, identified as Lakshay, had been frequently seen in the area in the days leading up to the incident.

She recalled that he brought a box of sweets to her home and urged her to come down personally.

"When my son was preparing to burst firecrackers, I suddenly heard shots being fired. I saw that my son had been shot," she said.

-- with ANI inputs