4 min readNew DelhiJun 20, 2023 07:02 AM IST
First published on: Jun 18, 2023 at 09:52 AM IST
Two women who jumped in to rescue their elder brother, after an argument over a loan spiralled, were shot dead by assailants in Southwest Delhi’s RK Puram. The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday near the high-security Army and Air Force headquarters in RK Puram. There are also offices of the CRPF and NCB in the area. Police said three of the accused have been arrested.
The sisters, Jyoti (29) and Pinky (35), sustained bullet injuries to their abdomen, hand and back. Their family rushed them to Safdarjung Hospital, where they died during treatment due to severe injuries and blood loss.
A purported video of the incident, which went viral on social media, shows four-five assailants hurling abuses and shooting at the victims. Women and their children are seen screaming and running for help.
According to the family, the sisters and their children had come to RK Puram’s Ambedkar Basti a few days ago to celebrate their younger brother Lala’s wedding anniversary.
The spot where Jyoti (30) and Pinky (29) were shot. (Express Photo)
On Saturday night, their elder brother Lalit went to meet a group of men to ask them for the money he loaned them earlier. Police sources said a fight broke out between them near KD Colony area and Lalit allegedly threatened the men and left.
Around 3.30 am on Sunday, the men along with a few associates came to Lalit’s house and pelted stones. The family said they locked the doors but the accused, around 7-10 of them, threw bricks, hurled abuses and threatened to kill Lalit and left. Around 4-4.15 am, they returned with more men and weapons.
Anita, Lalit’s wife, said, “The men pulled my husband out. We tried to stop them but they threatened to kill us. Pinky didi and Jyoti didi rushed to save Lalit and stood in front of him. The men got angry and started firing. I don’t remember much after that… we all ran… One bullet hit Pinky while several hit Jyoti didi. Both of them collapsed…The children are inconsolable. They saw their mothers dying.”
Anita also alleged delay by police in responding to their call. “When the men came for the first time… Jyoti called the police and someone picked up, but nobody came. Had the police come on time, I wouldn’t have lost my bhabhis.”
DCP (Southwest) Manoj C denied the allegations and said the only PCR call came in around 4.30-4.40 pm. “Our staff reached the spot in five minutes. The accused had fled and the women were at Safdarjung Hospital. During our enquiry, we found the accused had come to attack Lalit because he had lent them money and was trying to retrieve it. The women jumped to rescue their brother and were shot instead. We have arrested the three main accused involved and are conducting raids to catch others,” said the DCP.
Police said the accused had come to attack the victims’ brother Lalit over the settlement of some loan. (Express Photo)
According to police, the three accused — Michael, Sonu and Dev — are involved in gambling and are history sheeters. Dev had borrowed around Rs 10,000 from Lalit but refused to return it, said police, adding he got angry when Lalit threatened him and decided to “teach him a lesson”.
Pinky lived with her husband and two daughters, aged 21 and 18, in Munirka. Her husband, Parveen, works in the housekeeping department of a hotel in Hauz Khas. Jyoti is survived by her husband and three children aged 12, 10 and 7.
Daughters of the deceased Jyoti (30) and Pinky (29) who were shot dead by a group of unidentified assailants in southwest Delhi's R K Puram in the early hours of Sunday (Express Photo) 
The spot where Jyoti (30) and Pinky (29) were shot. (Express Photo)
Police said the accused had come to attack the victims’ brother Lalit over the settlement of some loan. (Express Photo)
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