New Delhi, Jun 25 (PTI) A day before he was to celebrate his birthday, 29-year-old Ajit Kumar Tripathi was gunned down outside his flat in north Delhi’s Burari, leaving his family devastated.
The incident took place on Tuesday night at a flat on the first floor of Hoovers Apartment. Police said they received a PCR call around 10 pm and rushed to the spot, where they found Ajit with gunshot injuries.
The victim was taken to a nearby hospital but was declared dead, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said.
Initial probe revealed that the accused, Arun Dedha (33), a resident of Gamri in northeast Delhi, had an argument with Ajit shortly before the shooting.
"The verbal spat escalated into a physical confrontation, and Dedha opened fire," an officer said, adding that multiple police teams have been formed to nab the accused.
However, Ajit's family believes this was no random altercation but a planned hit linked to a long-standing business and personal feud with a former friend, Bobby Upadhyay.
"Ajit had just returned from work and was chatting with two of his friends about his birthday party. Suddenly, someone began abusing him," said Kiran Tripathi, Ajit's sister.
The sister added that when he confronted the person, a fight broke out, and he was shot.
"We later learned that the attacker was sent by Bobby Upadhyay, who used to be his best friend but was turned against him by his family," she said.
Ajit’s mother claimed her son had been harassed for years over a business deal gone wrong.
"Bobby didn’t have a single rupee back then. My son invested in a business with him, and Bobby took all the money. After that, he mentally tortured Ajit every day," the deceased’s mother said.
His father alleged that Bobby, now a wealthy man with properties worth Rs 60 crore, built his empire through illegal activities.
"He ruined my son’s life. I request Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to take this matter seriously and ensure that the person responsible is given the strictest punishment — even the death penalty."
Police said they are looking into all possible angles, including personal rivalry and financial disputes. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.