A 26-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly fired shots in the air outside a grocery shop in central Delhi’s Chandni Mahal area, police said on Tuesday.
The accused Aarif, who is an auto rickshaw driver, was arrested from Bhajanpura in northeast Delhi, police said, adding that a pistol and seven live rounds were also recovered from him.
The incident took place on Monday night outside a grocery shop near a cinema hall in central Delhi’s Chandni Mahal area.
The accused, also a resident of Central Delhi, was under the influence of alcohol and had bought the pistol to show off, he told police during interrogation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sanjay Bhatia said, “We were informed that two rounds were fired in the air outside a shop. Our staff from Chandni Mahal police station reached the spot.
“A man named Aslam told the police that an unidentified man fired two rounds in the air near his shop. While searching the area, the police team found one fired round from the spot.”
Since none of the CCTV cameras installed in and around the shop were operational, several police teams were deployed to collect intelligence and trace the accused, he said.
The suspect was earlier seen at a medical shop in central Delhi.
So, a police team was sent to Usmanpur area to get in touch with the owner of a medical shop while another team was sent to Bhajanpura, from where he was finally arrested, the officer said.
“Initially, the man refused to acknowledge his involvement in the case but during sustained interrogation, he confessed to his crime and disclosed that he hid the pistol and some live rounds at a place in Jafrabad. A team was then sent to Jafrabad from where pistol and seven live rounds were recovered,” the DCP said.
A case has been registered against him under section 336 (an act endangering life and personal safety) of Indian Penal Code and provisions of Arms act, police said.