Broad daylight killing in Dehradun sparks major police crackdown
DEHRADUN: Panic gripped the heart of Uttarakhand’s capital, Dehradun, on Friday morning after a 45-year-old man was shot dead in broad daylight outside a popular fitness centre on the busy Rajpur Road.
The victim, identified as Vikram Sharma, a native of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand, was exiting a gym near Silver City Mall at around 10:00 am when unidentified assailants opened fire. The brazen attack prompted authorities to seal the city’s borders and launch a massive manhunt.
According to eyewitnesses, two attackers approached Sharma on foot as he walked towards his vehicle to return to his residence on Sahastradhara Road. The pair fired multiple shots at close range before fleeing on a motorcycle, where a third accomplice was waiting.
Sharma was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Senior police officials, including Inspector General (Garhwal) Rajiv Swaroop and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dehradun Ajay Singh, arrived at the scene alongside forensic teams and the Special Task Force (STF).
Preliminary investigations revealed that Sharma was a history-sheeter with an extensive criminal record.
“The deceased had over 50 criminal cases registered against him. Given his long criminal history, we are investigating the possibility of a gang rivalry or personal enmity,” said SSP Ajay Singh.
In a notable development, police recovered a pistol from Sharma’s possession. Officials stated that although he was armed, the swiftness of the ambush left him with no opportunity to retaliate. Sharma was reportedly involved in property dealing and mining businesses in Uttarakhand and resided in the Race Course locality.
The incident marks the second high-profile murder in the city within 48 hours, following the killing of gas agency owner Arjun Sharma near Tibetan Market. Police have since solved that case, revealing that the murder was allegedly orchestrated by the victim’s own mother. The back-to-back killings have raised serious concerns over law and order in the state capital.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grave concern over the incidents and reiterated the government’s “zero-tolerance policy” towards crime. In an immediate response, the state government ordered a major reshuffle of 20 IPS and PPS officers by Friday evening. Notably, SSP Dehradun Ajay Singh was among those transferred following the shooting.
Police are currently examining CCTV footage from Rajpur Road to identify the assailants and have contacted the Jharkhand Police to investigate Sharma’s past rivalries.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya voiced alarm over the spate of violence, pointing out that five murders have occurred in Dehradun district within 16 days. “If the capital itself is not safe, who will guarantee public safety?” he asked, criticising the government for what he described as passive inaction while crime escalates.
Five murders in 16 days in Dehradun District
An 18-year-old student murdered in Vikasnagar on 29 January
A woman shot dead in Rishikesh on 31 January
A young woman found with her throat slit in Dehradun on 2 February
A 40-year-old man shot dead in Dehradun on 11 February
A man shot dead outside a gym in Dehradun on Friday