Garhwal Post Bureau
Haldwani (Nainital), 5 Jan: A BJP municipal councillor in Haldwani, Nainital district. has been accused of murdering a youth by shooting him with his licenced gun. The injured youth was rushed to the hospital in a state of emergency, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Upon receiving the information, the police reached the spot, took custody of the body, and sent it for post-mortem examination. The police are currently investigating the incident, which has left the local area in a state of profound panic. The accused has been taken into custody and is being interrogated regarding the sequence of events.
As per the reports, late last night, a councillor from the Rampur Road area of Haldwani allegedly shot and killed a youth outside his residence due to unknown reasons. This shootout has caused a significant stir among the local people. The Police, however, took immediate action by detaining the municipal councillor and securing the body for medical examination. The accused councillor has been identified as Amit Bisht, and he is now facing allegations of murdering Nitin Lohani. Bisht is reported to be a BJP-supported councillor. SP City Manoj Katyal stated that the youth was shot dead late last night and the motives behind the murder are being ascertained while the accused is questioned in custody.
According to the police, as soon as senior police officials were informed, SP City Manoj Katyal arrived at the scene to take stock of the situation and issued instructions for necessary action. Eyewitness Kamal Bhandari stated that he and the deceased, Nitin Lohani, had visited Gaulapar late last night. While returning home to Haldwani, Nitin expressed a desire to meet BJP councillor Amit Bisht, alias Chintu, and both went to the councillor’s house. After they rang the doorbell, Amit Bisht appeared at the gate armed with a weapon and pointed it at both of them. ASP Deepshikha Aggarwal noted that the incident occurred last night and resulted in the death of a youth due to a gunshot wound. She confirmed that the victim’s family has submitted a formal complaint and further legal proceedings are in progress.
During the confrontation, the councillor reportedly fired the first shot into the ground. Terrified, Nitin began to run from the spot, at which point the accused councillor allegedly opened fire on him. Nitin was hit by the bullet and fell into a drain. When the witness attempted to help him up, other persons too armed with weapons also arrived at the scene, forcing the witness to flee to save his own life. The Kotwali police have since started interrogating the detained councillor as a large crowd gathered at the station following the murder.
According to the police, BJP Mandal Vice President and councillor Amit Bisht, alias Chintu, fired at the youth with his licenced revolver, causing instant death. The police have seized the weapon used in the crime.
Preliminary investigations suggest that a dispute had occurred between the deceased and the accused a few days ago, which is being considered the primary cause for the attack. However, the police are investigating all possible angles. The locals indicate that the accused councillor’s name has surfaced in connection with brawls and disputes in the past too, some of which had previously sparked political tension. The police have stated that no external pressure will be entertained in the current case. Following the incident, a sense of tension prevails in the area, and police personnel have been deployed as a precautionary measure. Authorities stated that the full details of the case will be revealed after the interrogation, ensuring strict action against the perpetrator.
