New Delhi, April 20 -- A home that was eagerly counting down the days to welcome a new baby this July has been shattered by an unexpected tragedy. Pankaj Nayyar, who was preparing to become a father for the second time, was shot dead in East Delhi's Preet Vihar during the early hours of Monday.

The incident occurred following a seemingly minor parking dispute that escalated into fatal violence, leaving behind his seven-months-pregnant wife and a grieving family.

On Sunday night, Nayyar (34) had visited his elder brother Paras (43) at their family home in Preet Vihar. The very evening, a fight broke out between Paras and his neighbour, Gaurav Sharma, who had moved into the first floor about four months earlier.

"He owned three cars, including a BMW and a Toyota Fortuner, despite having parking space for only one," Nayyar's cousin, Anup Nasa (50), said.

He added that their parents were out of town attending a neighbour's wedding in Jim Corbett on the day of the incident. "On the day of the incident, Paras was alone in the house. He got anxious and called his brother over from Noida," Nasa said.

Nayyar worked as a garment trader in Chandni Chowk and lived in Noida's Sector 121 with his wife and five-year-old son. The trouble began when Sharma parked his Toyota Fortuner in front of the main gate of the house, despite already occupying the designated parking space with his BMW.

"They requested him to park properly, even suggesting using another building's space, but he didn't listen," Nasa added, noting that the family owned the first floor of the neighbouring building.

While the dispute seemed resolved after Sharma finally moved his BMW to the nearby building's parking lot, it didn't last. Just minutes later, Paras called Nayyar, saying Sharma had returned and was again hurling insults and causing a scene outside the house.

According to Nasa, "Nayyar had already left. When his brother called him, Pankaj even called Sharma, asking why he was fighting after everything had been sorted." When Paras called again, Pankaj returned to help.

The family alleged the murder was a planned attack. Nasa stated, "They were already waiting downstairs," referring to the group consisting of Sharma, his son, his nephew, and two others. They attacked Nayyar the moment he arrived, he claimed.

According to the police, three rounds were fired, one of which hit Nayyar in the chest, killing him on the spot. "They killed my cousin and fled in another car," Nasa alleged.

Another family member claimed that they even attempted to kill Paras, who was assaulted during the attack and was struck with a gun.

Pankaj Nayyar married six years ago after an eight-year relationship, overcoming religious differences.

Family members described him as warm and dependable. He was killed following a parking dispute; police have registered an FIR and arrested the

accused. with agency inputs

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.