CHANDIGARH: A 42-year-old Singapore-based multinational company executive was allegedly shot dead by his neighbour following a parking dispute in Faridabad, Haryana, on Friday night. The accused, identified as Monu Sharma, was arrested within hours of the incident.
The victim, Paramjeet Dhankhar, had arrived in India on Thursday to attend his nephew's wedding. He was shot dead in the parking area of his residential building in Sector 21C, under the Surajkund police station area.
The accused allegedly threatened Dhankhar earlier in the day at a police post, where the latter had gone to lodge a complaint against him. "I will not leave you alive by tonight," Sharma allegedly told him.
Both men lived in the same building at house number 641 in Sector 21C, with Dhankhar residing on the first floor and Sharma on the third.
Dhankhar was a senior vice-president at Singapore-based FPT Software Company Ltd and had previously served as the regional business head of Tech Mahindra's Asia-Pacific operations.
A total of 14 rounds were fired during the incident, with around eight to nine bullets hitting the victim, police said. Dhankhar was rushed to a hospital by his family members, but doctors declared him dead on arrival. Police reached the scene after receiving information from Shaurya, the deceased's son, and recovered cartridge shells.
Sources said the dispute between the two neighbours was an old one, with the latest escalation occurring after Dhankhar's son, Shaurya, confronted Sharma over a broken gate in their parking area and sought its repair. Sharma allegedly told him on Friday, "I don't talk to pups; send your father."
Dhankhar, who lived in Singapore, had returned to India on Thursday to celebrate Diwali and attend a wedding. Following his son's interaction with the accused, he went to Ankhir police post and lodged a complaint against Sharma, sources said.
When police called Sharma to the police post, he allegedly threatened to kill Dhankhar that very night in front of police officials, sources added.
Later on Friday night, Sharma allegedly called Paramjeet to the parking lot to talk and told him, "Have you ever seen what a widow looks like? You have such great faith in God; let me send you straight to him."
He then allegedly opened fire, targeting both Dhankhar and his son, Shaurya. While Dhankhar was killed, his son survived, police sources said, adding that the accused fled with his family after the shooting.
Surajkund Station House Officer Prahlad Kumar said the accused, identified as Monu Sharma alias Mohan, allegedly opened fire at Paramjeet around 9-9.15 pm using his licensed pistol.
"Based on the complaint of Paramjeet's son Shaurya, a case has been registered against Monu Sharma alias Mohan, his wife Divya, son Mayank, daughter Naina and brother Hetram. Paramjeet's body has been sent to the civil hospital for a post-mortem," he said.
Sharma owned a plot near house number 641, where he would frequently create disturbances at night with his friends. "He also owned several luxury cars, which he would drive at high speeds and with loud, revving engines through the sector's streets," a source said.
Sources said the accused allegedly played loud music late into the night and frequently fired shots into the air. Residents were deeply troubled by his behaviour but felt unable to speak up. They also said they did not know what Sharma did for a living.
About a year ago, Sharma had allegedly faced accusations of GST evasion, following which the GST Department conducted a raid at his premises.
Investigators also found that Sharma allegedly possessed two licensed pistols. By the time of the shooting, he had three pistols in his possession.
The victim's friends said that if the police had taken Sharma into custody after his initial threat, the killing could have been prevented.
