Hour before his birthday party, 27-year-old man shot dead near home in East Delhi’s Shahdara

Both the accused have been arrested, officers said. They have been identified as Kunal (28) and Akshit (27). A pistol believed to have been used in the shooting has been recovered.

The incident took place around 11.09 pm near a shop in V Block in Naveen Shahdara.

According to officers, a PCR call was received at the Shahdara police station, reporting that a man had been shot. A team was dispatched immediately and found that the victim had already been rushed to Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Aahi had a gunshot wound on his forehead.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that the two accused arrived at the spot on a motorcycle and allegedly fired at Aahi from close range. Investigators said he had recently quarrelled with the suspects, and the three had reportedly agreed to meet on Friday night — roughly an hour before Gagan’s birthday party — for a patch-up.

However, the two opened fire as the situation escalated, according to officers.

Aahi’s father Ravi Kumar told reporters present at the scene of the crime a different version of events. “Gagan came downstairs to meet a person, they shared a hug, and with that, the person shot Gagan in the head. He then fired a couple of shots in the air. When I came down, my son was lying in that spot. I don’t know about any fight,” said the father.

Police said one of the suspects and the motorcycle used in the crime were detained soon after the incident. Multiple teams were formed to trace the second assailant, and both were eventually arrested on Saturday evening.

A case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Arms Act has been registered at Shahdara police station. Officers said they are verifying the exact sequence of events and the role of the accused.