In Delhi’s upscale Vasant Vihar area, two men have been arrested for allegedly shooting a woman in what police suspect may be a targeted attack linked to a prior criminal case. The victim, a salon head manager in Vasant Vihar, sustained a severe gunshot wound to her chest and is currently battling for her life at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre. The arrests, made over two days, have brought to light a complex case involving a previous legal dispute between the victim and one of the accused.
According to Delhi Police, the incident occurred on Thursday (August 31) when the victim was travelling in an auto-rickshaw in Vasant Vihar. An auto-rickshaw driver, who witnessed the aftermath, reported that the woman had been shot and was immediately rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre for emergency treatment.
The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed due to legal reasons, informed police that she was on a phone call during her ride when two men approached her vehicle from behind. One of the men, identified as Abuzair Safi, allegedly opened fire, striking her in the chest.
Safi, a resident of Okhla Vihar, is the primary accused in the shooting and was apprehended by police on Friday (August 1), along with the firearm allegedly used in the attack. The second suspect, Aman Sukhla, from Tughlakabad Extension, was arrested a day earlier on Thursday. Police also recovered the motorcycle used by the suspects to carry out the crime, which authorities believe was a planned assault.
The case has taken a dramatic turn with revelations that the victim is the complainant in a 2024 criminal case against Safi, who had been released on interim bail in a rape case filed by the same woman. This connection has raised questions about the motive behind the shooting, with police suspecting it may be an act of retaliation or linked to the ongoing legal battle.
“The motive and the connection between the two cases are under thorough investigation,” a senior police official stated, adding that the investigation is exploring all possible angles, including personal enmity or other underlying factors.
Safi and Sukhla have been charged with attempted murder, and police are continuing to investigate whether additional individuals were involved in the planning or execution of the attack. Authorities are also examining CCTV footage from the area and interviewing witnesses to piece together the sequence of events leading up to the shooting.
