Haridwar: Anger over the delay in solving the murder of 26-year-old bike mechanic Happy in Shantarshah village has intensified, with Bhim Army Jai Bheem organisation workers staging a protest outside the Kotwali on Tuesday. Happy was shot dead at his shop on September 14 by unidentified masked attackers, but police have yet to arrest the suspects or establish the motive behind the killing.
The protesters demanded that police identify and arrest the killers at the earliest. Bhim Army Jai Bheem state president Ankush Sherwal said Happy was shot in broad daylight, yet the police had not been able to reach the alleged attackers even after a week. He said the delay had created fear among residents in the area.
Happy, a resident of Shantarshah, ran a bike repair shop in a market in the village. According to police, he was sitting at his shop at around 7:15 pm when two masked men approached from the direction of the nearby colony and suddenly opened fire.
The firing triggered panic in the surrounding area. Happy sustained multiple bullet injuries and collapsed at the spot. The attackers then fled towards the forest, according to the police account.
Family members and police reached the scene after receiving information about the shooting. Happy was taken to a private hospital, but doctors referred him to a higher centre after finding his condition critical. He died while being taken there.
Police examine CCTV footage
Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh Bhullar, SP Crime Nisha Yadav and SHO Amarjeet Singh reached the spot with their teams after the incident. Police inspected the crime scene, questioned people in the area and collected evidence.
Police recovered spent cartridges from the spot. Investigators are also examining CCTV footage from cameras installed in and around the area in an effort to identify the attackers.
Following the shooting, police launched checking operations across the district to trace the suspects. However, no arrest or breakthrough had been reported by late night, according to the information available.
The motive behind the murder has also not been established so far. Police are continuing their investigation into the identity of the attackers and the circumstances surrounding the killing.
