Uttarakhand: Businessman shot dead at mall in Dehradun; police probe 'rivalry' angle

Dehradun, Feb 13 (PTI) A businessman was shot dead by unidentified assailants near Silver City Cinema on Rajpur Road here on Friday, police said.

This marks the second murder in the city within the last 48 hours and the third in 11 days.

The victim, identified as Vikram Sharma (50), was descending the stairs of the Parsvnath Eleganza Mall at 10.15 am after leaving a gym when he was shot from close range. He died on the spot, the police said.

SP (City) Pramod Kumar said Sharma and his associate Akhilesh Singh faced nearly 50 criminal cases, including murder and kidnapping in Jharkhand and other states.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh stated while the deceased was based in Jharkhand, he owned a flat in Dehradun and visited frequently.

Sharma also operated a stone crusher business in Bajpur area of Udham Singh Nagar district.

Records show Jharkhand Police had arrested him from Dehradun eight years ago, the SSP said.

Police suspect the killing is the result of a gang war. A manhunt is on to apprehend the assailants, the officer added.

The string of three murders in Dehradun over the past two weeks has created an atmosphere of fear and unease among residents. A gas agency owner was shot dead on Wednesday, while a 22-year-old woman was murdered in Machhi Bazar on February 2. PTI DPT AKY