A 26-year-old Army personnel serving as a President's Bodyguard at Rashtrapati Bhavan was shot in the head during a confrontation with neighbours over bursting firecrackers on Diwali night in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district on November 8.
The injured soldier, identified as Saurabh Kumar, also referred to as Saurabh Tomar in some reports, was visiting his native village, Gopalpur Khadana, under Ramala police station, on leave for the festival, as per Hindustan Times.
According to the complaint filed by his father, Janak Raj, the incident occurred when Saurabh and his brothers, Vineet and Mintu, were bursting firecrackers outside their house. Two neighbours, identified as Dheeraj and Monu alias Praveen, allegedly objected, triggering a heated argument that soon escalated into violence.
During the confrontation, Dheeraj allegedly opened fire with a country-made pistol. The bullet reportedly struck a wall before hitting Saurabh in the head, reducing its impact. Meanwhile, Monu allegedly attacked Saurabh's brother Vineet with a stick.
Saurabh was initially rushed to a hospital before being shifted to a private facility in Meerut, where doctors performed surgery and successfully removed the bullet lodged in his head. According to reports, his condition was stable following the operation, and he was recovering.
Police registered a case against the two accused on the basis of the family's complaint. The accused allegedly fled the scene after threatening the family. Three police teams have been constituted to trace and arrest them, while additional personnel have been deployed in the village to prevent further tensions.
The family has also alleged that an old dispute between the two sides may have contributed to the confrontation, according to HT.
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Saurabh joined as the President's Bodyguard in 2021. The prestigious cavalry regiment, stationed at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, is responsible for ceremonial duties and security assignments involving the President of India.
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