35-year-old cabbie wades into fight to save his teenage son, ends up being shot in Northeast Delhi

According to Qayamuddin, the teenager was standing around watching when someone asked him his name. “As soon as he replied, they said, ‘Yeh C block ka hai,’ and started beating him as well,” Qayamuddin said.

By the time the teen’s parents, Umardin and his wife Rabia, reached the spot, the boy had been allegedly pulled by the hair, forced to bend, and punched repeatedly.

An individual who claimed to have witnessed the incident on February 17 said the teen had tried to stop the beating of the boys from C block, which had angered the other group.

According to this individual, a local criminal named Sunil, who was among those who were beating the teen, fired at Umardin from close range. “Most people in C block avoid crossing Sunil’s path. He often hangs around a local hookah café, and is known to carry weapons,” the individual said.

After his father was shot at, the teenager ran home and informed his grandparents. The family rushed Umardin to GTB Hospital, where he was declared dead.

Sunil was arrested three days later. A pistol, suspected to be the weapon that was used in the crime, was recovered from him, along with three live cartridges.

“Based on technical inputs and collected evidence, police apprehended Sunil alias Deepu alias Narender (34), son of Bishan Singh and a resident of B block, Nand Nagri. During interrogation, he confessed to the murder,” DCP (North East) Ashish Mishra said.

“…The accused is a habitual offender and has previously been involved in eight criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, snatching, causing hurt, and offences under the Arms Act,” the officer said.

Police said the murder was the outcome of a territorial fight in a rough neighbourhood. “It was about the area, the block. The accused assumed that the deceased was with the boys with whom he was fighting,” a police officer said.

Umardin is survived by his wife and five children, including four daughters of ages 2, 7, 8, and 10.

“I used to drive a battery rickshaw but stopped due to asthma. I suppose I will have to start again — for the children, and to support my daughter,” Qayamuddin said.