Times of India

 
NEW DELHI, May 31: A 23-year-old property dealer of Rohini was allegedly shot by his friend and business associate over a Rs 2-crore land dispute. According to police, Bhagat Raj Singh had gone to collect his property papers from his friend on Friday afternoon when he was shot inside the latter's shop at Sector-24.

The accused, Rohit Singh (25), and his father, Mahendra Singh, reportedly fled in their Mercedes car. Bhagat was rushed to a nearby hospital by his cousins, who were waiting outside the shop, but he succumbed to his injuries around 4.30 pm. Bhagat had been shot thrice - in the chest, left arm and left leg. He was a small-time property dealer and used to often visit his friend's shop, Rohit Associates, at Sector-24. He is survived by his 20-year-old wife and son.

Bhagat was apparently killed over a property dispute. As his cousin, Suraj Bhan, claimed, "Bhagat's family had bought a plot in Panchkula for Rs 2 crore through Rohit's company. However, Rohit neither showed them the property, nor gave them the papers for it."

"Whenever we asked him to show us the property or give the papers, Rohit would say that we should let him handle the deal. He also promised to get the property registered under residential category to sell it off later at a higher price," added Bhan.

According to Bhan, Rohit assured to organise a visit to Panchkula and hand over the papers when Bhagat started getting impatient. "On Friday, Bhagat was with me at our ancestral home in Poot Kalan village in Haryana when Rohit called him around 11.50 am and asked him to collect the documents from his shop. Bhagat left immediately," he said.

Bhagat's father Randheer Singh, also a property dealer, said: "I wasn't even aware of the dispute between Rohit and my son. Rohit had been telling us that he would return the money if he failed to get the property converted into a residential zone. We thought the issue was settled."

Said another property dealer, Subhash Goyal, who has his shop next to Rohit's: "Rohit and Bhagat appeared to be close friends. Bhagat used to come here often. On Friday, he ran out of the shop crying, 'Rohit shot me', and then collapsed."

The police have not yet found the weapon. "We have sent the samples for forensic tests to ascertain what type of gun was used in the crime. We are also questioning the family members to confirm the motive. The body has been sent for post-mortem to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital and a hunt has been launched for the accused," said DCP (outer) Dr Sagarpreet Hooda.