New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS): A youth died and his two friends were critically injured in a shootout among two groups near a wedding function site here, police said on Friday.

Police said the incident took place late on Thursday night when two groups indulged in a verbal duel that later turned into a clash between them. At one stage, one of them fired from a weapon at three others near the wedding venue in Dakshinpuri area of south Delhi.

"Police was informed by some local residents, who said three youths had sustained gun-shot injuries in a shootout between two groups," Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya told IANS.

The youths, identified as Shekhar Yadav, Vikas Arya and Harneet Singh -- all 25-28 years of age -- received two to three bullet injuries and were taken to the nearby Batra Hospital, Baaniya said.

"Harneet Singh was later referred to Safdarjung Hospital, while Shekhar Yadav succumbed to his injuries in the hospital" he said.

Police have booked six persons in this case, out of which one has been apprehended from Sangam Vihar and a country-made pistol and a small quantity of drugs recovered from his rented accommodation in Khanpur area, according to the DCP.

Yadav and Singh were working in a private finance company at Nehru Place, while Arya is pursuing post-graduation through correspondence from a private university, the officer said.

"Police have identified the accused persons and raids are being conducted to trace and arrest them," the DCP added.