Man shot at in Hyderabad following dispute over auto-rickshaw fare, 2 held

Hyderabad, Nov 21 (PTI) A 36-year-old goldsmith from West Bengal was seriously injured after a man allegedly shot at him with a firearm following an altercation over an auto-rickshaw fare here, police said on Friday.

The incident occurred at around 1 am on November 20 near the under-construction house of the goldsmith in Shamshabad mandal and two persons were arrested in this connection, they said.

According to police, the goldsmith, who resides in Gansi Bazar, Charminar, in his complaint stated that he visited the site to supervise the construction work on November 19 along with his relative.

In the early hours of November 20, they hailed an auto-rickshaw and asked the driver if he could take them to City College.

An altercation arose when the driver demanded Rs 800, which the goldsmith refused, offering Rs 500 instead. When the driver declined the offer and was asked to leave, two passengers seated in the auto-rickshaw intervened.

The two got out of the vehicle and abused the complainant and his relative. They also beat them up and one of them pulled out a firearm from the auto-rickshaw and shot at the goldsmith in his abdomen, causing severe bleeding injury.

The second accused snatched the complainant’s mobile phone.

Later, the two accused fled the scene in the auto-rickshaw.

The goldsmith called ‘Dial 100’, and upon arrival of the police, informed them about the incident.

He was shifted to a hospital and doctors removed the bullet after treatment. The complainant is currently said to be in a stable condition, police said.

“Within 24 hours of the offence, the two accused persons were arrested and the firearm used in the offence was seized. The complainant’s mobile phone was also recovered,” a police official at Shamshabad Police station said.

The firearm was sent to Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), police added. PTI VVK VVK ROH