The trader identified as Dharmendra (32), a resident of Jawahar Nagar of Loni area (Representational)
32-year-old construction material trader was shot dead outside his store allegedly by two bike-borne assailants in Loni Border police station area in Ghaziabad on Wednesday night, police said.
Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police Pawan Kumar told PTI that the trader identified as Dharmendra (32), a resident of Jawahar Nagar of Loni area, was rushed to GTB Hospital in Shahdara where he was further referred to Max Hospital, Delhi but he succumbed to his bullet wounds.
Dharmendra was sitting at his shop situated at Behta Nehar road and noting down his daily transactions. At the time, two youths arrived at his store and were conversing with Dharmendra. One of the two youths suddenly pulled out a country-made pistol and shot at Dharmendra from point-blank range and escaped from the spot.
Some acquaintances who were sitting there tried to catch hold of both of them but the duo fled away on their motorcycle.
Loni Border police have detained Dharmendra's clerk as initial investigations showed that around four to five days ago, the now dead man had slapped the son of his clerk, the SSP said.
In another incident, a photocopy shop owner allegedly shot himself dead using a country-made pistol around 9 pm on Wednesday in Sahibabad area, police said.
At the time of the incident, Mukesh Jha (40) was drinking with his friend Iqbal.
It is yet to be ascertained whether Jha died by suicide or he was shot dead by his companions, SSP Kumar said.