India, July 17 -- A dispute over alcohol consumption and a long-running family property row allegedly ended in murder after a 32-year-old man shot his father dead inside their home in Uttar Pradesh's Modinagar on Wednesday night, police said. The accused, identified as Nikhil Kumar, is absconding after allegedly firing three rounds from a country-made pistol at his father, Hariom (55), a farmer from Budana village. Police have registered a murder case and formed five teams to trace him. According to police, Hariom had finished dinner and was resting when Nikhil returned home at around 11 pm in an allegedly intoxicated state. His father objected to his drinking in front of family members, triggering an argument that soon shifted to an ongoing dispute over the family's assets, estimated to be worth more than Rs 150 crore.
In her complaint, Hariom's wife, Meenakshi (50), alleged that Nikhil opened fire during the heated exchange. "My husband questioned Nikhil about coming home drunk. The argument soon turned into a dispute over the property. Nikhil then took out a pistol and shot him with the intention of killing him," she told police. She said she witnessed the attack and saw three shots being fired. Hariom sustained bullet injuries to his head and abdomen. Family members and neighbours rushed him to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Police said the family owns around 75 bighas of agricultural land, including parcels near the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, besides three commercial shops in Modinagar.
Relatives told police that Hariom had proposed dividing the property into three shares but had delayed completing the legal transfer. Nikhil allegedly wanted the process expedited, while Hariom refused to transfer his share before his son's marriage, citing concerns over his drinking habits and the company he kept. Hariom is survived by his wife and two sons - Nikhil and Nishu (27). Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari said an FIR has been registered under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He added that a preliminary inquiry revealed Nikhil had allegedly shot and injured his younger brother during another dispute in 2018, though no police complaint was filed at the time. Police said efforts are underway to arrest the accused.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.