CRPF jawan shot dead in Haryana's Sonipat days after clash with kanwariyas – was home to meet newborn son

A 30-year-old Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan was allegedly shot dead by three assailants outside his house in Haryana’s Sonipat district, with police suspecting that the murder may have been linked to a recent altercation with kanwariyas. The incident took place in Kheri Damkan village on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, Hindustan Times reported.

The victim, Krishan Kumar, had recently returned to his hometown from Chhattisgarh, where he was posted, to be with his wife after she gave birth to a son at Bhagat Phool Singh Medical College for Women in Khanpur Kalan on July 25.

According to police, Kumar was called outside his house late at night by a few people from the village. As soon as he stepped out, he was shot. “He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival,” HT quoted Sonepat police spokesperson Ravinder Singh as saying.

The victim’s family has accused three individuals, Nishant, Anand, and Ajay, all local residents and kanwariyas, of involvement in the killing. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rishi Kant said that an argument had allegedly occurred between Krishan and the accused during a recent pilgrimage to Haridwar to fetch kanwar.

ACP Kant, who visited the scene around 1.30 am, said a preliminary probe suggests a personal clash during the religious journey may have escalated into violence. A case of murder has been registered, and police have launched a manhunt to trace the accused.

“We have registered an FIR filed by the victim’s father, Balwant, over his 29-year-old son, a CRPF jawan being shot. He was involved in a fight with two people during the Kanwar Yatra. Four of our teams are in the process of tracking the perpetrators responsible,” PTI quoted ACP Kant as saying.