The family of a former sarpanch in Haryana's Manesar was celebrating Diwali when nearly 40 rounds of bullets were unleashed on them by at least five assailants, leaving two of the family members and four others with injuries.
According to The Indian Express, the incident took place at around 8 pm on Thursday, 4 November, at Kasan village near Manesar – nearly 21 kilometres away from the corporate hub of Gurugram.
According to police, the attack that left a 21-year-old dead and a dog injured, was planned to avenge a murder that reportedly took place in 2007.
Among the dead are 21-year-old Vikas and Sohanpal, while those injured include one Balram, his eight-year-old son Yash, maternal uncle Rajesh Kumar and first cousin Parveen.
Both Balram and Sohanpal are sons of former sarpanch Gopal.
Night of Bullets
ACP Pataudi Veer Singh told Indian Express that an "old enmity related to a murder committed in 2007 is suspected to be the reason."
One of the injured, Rajesh Kumar said that his son and Balaram' son were celebrating Diwali in the courtyard when five men stormed the house and "indiscriminately started firing."
"My son suffered several gunshot wounds and collapsed, while Yash also was shot at. The assailants then moved inside the house and fired gunshots through a glass window. Four of us — Balram, Sohanpal, Parveen and I — suffered multiple wounds. We started yelling, following which the assailants escaped.”Rakesh Kumar
Gopal's wife Bimla was feeding the family dog, when assailants entered the house and surrounded her. When the canine charged at the intruders, they shot at it too. The dog is undergoing treatment at a veterinary hospital.
While Vikas died after suffering 16 gunshot wounds in his chest, abdomen, head and thigh, Sohanpal, who sustained two gunshot injuries, died on Friday.
Police have identified one Yogendra as the prime suspect.
According to the police, both Balram and Sohanpal were convicted for murdering Yogendra's brother Manoj in 2007. While they were later released from jail after serving their time, Yogendra wanted to avenge his brother's death.
An FIR was registered under IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 452 (house-trespass) and relevant section of the Arms Act at IMT Manesar police station on Friday, said police.
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