A Diwali visit turned tragic for Paramjith Dhankhar, a 43-year-old software executive, who was fatally shot by his neighbor in Faridabad, India, following a heated dispute over a dog and parking. Dhankhar, who had returned from Singapore to celebrate the festival with his family, was reportedly shot at least 19 times by Mohan Sharma, 42, on Friday night.
Police have since arrested Sharma from Ballabgarh and recovered his licensed handgun, along with 59 live cartridges and two magazines. The incident highlights a escalating neighborhood conflict that had simmered for months.
Long-Standing Feud Escalates
According to relatives of the victim, the two families, residing on different floors of the same four-storey building in Sector 21C, had been embroiled in arguments for approximately three months. The core of the dispute revolved around Sharma’s German Shepherd pup, which allegedly defecated in the shared ground-floor parking area.
The conflict had previously involved the police. Just a week before the shooting, Sharma reportedly damaged one of the entrance gates Dhankhar had installed to mitigate disputes, leading to a formal police complaint. On the morning of the fatal incident, police had summoned Sharma to Ankhir police post regarding Dhankhar’s complaint, which also cited verbal abuse and issues with an underground water tank.
“My cousin also reached there. I had got to know from my brother that Sharma had misbehaved with the police too inside the station. He issued there that he would teach him a lesson,” a relative told Hindustan Times, indicating Sharma’s aggressive stance after the police post argument.
Fatal Confrontation in the Parking Area
The situation reached its deadly climax around 8:30 PM on Friday. Sharma allegedly called Dhankhar downstairs to the parking area, ostensibly to move his car and resolve the ongoing matter peacefully. However, as soon as Dhankhar descended, he was ambushed.
A senior police officer involved in the investigation stated, “He emptied one magazine and then loaded another one and emptied it too. Overall, he had fired at least 19 rounds, with at least nine hitting Dhankhar.” The officer also noted multiple bullet marks on Dhankhar’s vehicle, the floor, and walls of the stilt area, indicating the ferocity of the attack.
An eyewitness, Pinta Ram, who lives on the first floor, described hearing numerous loud bangs before screams erupted. Neighbors rushed Dhankhar to a private hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Arrest and Conspiracy Charges
Mohan Sharma was apprehended by police the following day, Saturday, from Dealer Chowk in Ballabgarh. Varun Kumar Dahiya, Assistant Commissioner of Police (crime), confirmed Sharma’s arrest and stated he would be taken on police remand for further investigation.
In a significant development, Sharma’s wife and two children have also been named as accused in the First Information Report (FIR) under sections related to criminal conspiracy (103(1) murder, 109(1) attempt to murder, 351(2) criminal intimidation, 3(5) common intention, and 61 criminal conspiracy of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita). Police and Dhankhar’s family suspect the murder may have been premeditated, given that Sharma reportedly came downstairs armed with a handgun and two loaded magazines.
Paramjith Dhankhar, who previously held a senior executive position at Tech Mahindra, was working for Vietnam-based FPT Software Company Limited at its Singapore office. He is survived by his parents, wife, an 18-year-old son, and a 14-year-old daughter, all of whom lived in the same building. Dhankhar was also planning to attend his nephew’s wedding in Faridabad on November 24.