President's bodyguard jawan shot in head in UP's Baghpat
Saurabh Tomar is in critical condition after a bullet ricocheted off a wall during a Diwali firecracker argument.
A 26-year-old jawan posted with the President's Bodyguard was shot in the head in Gopalpur Khadana village, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday night, according to India TV. The incident occurred during a disagreement regarding the bursting of firecrackers in the Baghpat district.
Saurabh Tomar, who joined the armed forces in 2021 and is stationed at Rashtrapati Bhavan, was home on leave for Diwali. Police said that while Tomar and his brothers, Vineet and Mintu, were lighting crackers outside their house, an argument broke out with two villagers, Dheeraj and Monu, also known as Praveen.
Dheeraj allegedly used a country-made pistol to fire a shot that hit a wall before ricocheting into Tomar's head behind the ear. The assailants also reportedly attacked Vineet with sticks and clubs, leaving him seriously injured.
Tomar underwent surgery at a private hospital in Meerut to remove the bullet and is currently in the intensive care unit. His condition is reported to be critical, according to police reports on Tuesday.
An FIR has been registered at the Ramala police station following a complaint by the victims' father, Janakraj. Local police told PTI that efforts are underway to arrest Dheeraj and Monu, with three teams formed to track them down.