A 36-year-old man was shot dead during celebratory firing at a wedding in Khanpur village, Bulandshahr district, on Thursday night, police said.
The victim, Dharmendra Bhati, was seated on a chair when a bullet struck him after the bride’s cousin, Sugreev Solanki, allegedly fired shots into the air as part of the festivities. Solanki fled the spot immediately after the incident.
Bhati died while being taken to a hospital. Police reached the location after being alerted by members of the wedding procession and sent the body for postmortem. Based on a complaint, an FIR for murder has been registered against Solanki, who remains absconding.
Bhati, an active BJP worker and a resident of Ajaynagar, is survived by two daughters and a son. His cousin has alleged that the firing was intentional.
BJP district president Vikas Chauhan and MLA Laxmi Raj Singh have offered their condolences.
