Food oil trader shot dead for resisting robbery bid in Gzb

Ghaziabad: Following the death of a 52-year-old oil trader who was allegedly shot dead by two unidentified bike-borne assailants after he resisted the robbery attempt in Ghaziabad on late Wednesday night, the wholesale traders and the market associations called a complete market shutdown in order to raise protest on Thursday.

According to police, Bijendra Garg, a resident of Nasratpura in Ghaziabad, was allegedly shot by unidentified assailants while he was on his way to home. Victim's family claimed that the assailants fled away with a bag, containing Rs 7 lakh cash.

"The incident occurred around 9:30 pm on Wednesday when Garg was on the way to his home after closing his shop. He was riding on a scooter along with two of his employees, when two bike-borne criminals intercepted his vehicle near his house and tried to snatch away the bag containing cash. When Garg tried to resist the robbery attempt, the criminals opened fire at him, and he succumbed to injuries in the hospital," said Shlok Kumar, Superintendent of Police (city), Ghaziabad.

The officer further said that a case has been registered while teams have been formed to probe the matter.

"Following the incident, an FIR under section 302 (punishment for murder) and 392 (robbery) has been registered against two unidentified criminals. We are looking into the CCTV footage captured by the cameras installed at a nearby building and are expecting to make a breakthrough soon," added Kumar.

Agitated over the tragic incident, the wholesale food oil traders association called a complete market shutdown in order to raise a protest and demanded quick probe into the matter.

"Similar incidents of robbery with other businessmen have been reported earlier also which puts up a big question on the law and order situation in the district. We traders are under a state of fear while we demand strict and immediate actions against the criminals who are behind such robbery incidents. We will go on an indefinite strike if police do not make a breakthrough soon," said Ashok Agarwal, a Ghaziabad-based oil trader.

Meanwhile, police have detained nearly half a dozen people for questioning including the two employees who were present with Garg.