A dispute over firecrackers on Diwali night allegedly turned violent in Ghaziabad's Ramnagar locality, where a group of neighbours is accused of entering a woman's house and firing a shot after her family objected to the crackers. Police registered an FIR for attempted murder and other offences at Modinagar police station on Tuesday, two days after the incident.
The complainant, Kalpana Kumar (25), stated that she and her family members were performing puja at around 8 pm on November 8 when the firecrackers outside their house filled their house with smoke. The complainant said that her father-in-law and her husband protested, and the neighbours barged into their house and started firing.
She also claimed that the accused persons made casteist comments about her family and took away Rs 7,000 that was lying in the house.
“Thick smoke engulfed my house, and the smoke also entered my house. When my husband and father-in-law asked them not to burst crackers, the two (named) suspects and their accomplices forcibly entered our house and fired a gunshot that missed the head by a small margin,” HT quoted the woman.
Two named, Five To Seven Unidentified Suspects
In the FIR, the complainant has identified two persons and has named 5-7 suspects as unknown. The FIR is registered under sections 109(1) (attempt to murder), 333 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 309 (robbery), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace), all of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked.
ACP Siddharth Gautam of Modinagar Circle said police were examining the complaint and checking CCTV footage from nearby cameras. He added that the complainant and the accused were neighbours.
“We have registered an FIR based on the complaint given by the family. Since the complainant and the suspects are neighbours, we are conducting inquiries and also taking help from CCTV footage from nearby cameras. An FIR has been registered under relevant sections, and an investigation is underway before making any arrest,” the ACP said.
No arrests had been made at the time of the report. Police said the investigation was underway.