Ten Days After Gurugram Shootout, Judge’s Son Passes Away

The wife and son of a Gurugram judge were shot at by his personal guard on 13 October.

Additional Sessions Judge Krishan Kant’s wife Ritu, 45 and son Dhruv, 18 were shot at on Saturday, 13 October.

(Photo: ANI)

Ten days after a personal security officer opened fire on the wife and son of an additional sessions judge in a busy Gurugram market, the son succumbed to injuries early Tuesday morning, 23 October. The boy’s heart , liver and kidney have been donated.

He had been on life support since after the shootout, while his mother Ritu passed away in the hospital on 14 October.

Shooter Sent to Judicial Custody

Mahipal Singh, who allegedly shot the wife and son of Additional District and Sessions Judge Krishan Kant in Gurugram on 13 October, has been sent to 14 days judicial custody, ANI reported.

The police on Wednesday, 17 October said the shooting at a busy market in Gurugram was the result of a “sudden provocation”.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Sumit Kuhar said Singh, a Personal Security Officer, lost his temper when the judge's wife and son scolded him for being untraceable after they had finished their shopping.

“The mother and son had asked Mahipal to wait near the car until they came back. But on returning, they did not find him. When he came back, they scolded him for not being near the car. Dhruv later asked him for the car keys. Mahipal started to manhandle Dhruv in the car and shot at him once he stepped out. When his mother Ritu came to his rescue, Mahipal fired on her too. During interrogation, Mahipal praised Judge Krishan Kant’s behaviour towards him.”

DCP Kuhar told reporters on Wednesday.

The DCP said the security guard is mentally sound.

The police said they are not aware of the whereabouts of Singh's wife. Mahipal's uncle Daan Singh, however, alleged on Monday that the police had taken away the accused's wife and children, along with his ailing mother and brother-in-law.

His uncle told TV channels that Singh took the extreme step possibly because he was angry over the refusal of his repeated pleas for leave to attend to his seven-year-old daughter who was seriously ill.

“He had received repeated calls from his wife to reach home early to take his daughter to the doctor,” Daan Singh said in his hometown Rewari. But the judge rebuked him for this, according to the uncle.

Daan Singh also accused the judge and his family members of mistreating his nephew who resented being ordered to run errands for them.

Wife Succumbs, Son Brain Dead

Ritu Kant succumbed to her injuries, officials said on Sunday, 14 October. Dhruv, who was shot in the head, is brain dead. He has been put on a life support system. “It would be a miracle if he is saved,” said Pawan Choudhary, Regional Medical Officer of Gurgaon Civil Hospital.

Minutes after the incident, the guard reportedly called the judge to say “I have shot your wife and son,” NDTV reported. The son and mother were admitted to a hospital in critical condition.

Ritu, wife of the additional sessions judge, who was shot by his guard on Saturday. (Photo Courtesy: Resident of the same building)

Khattar Meets Haryana Home Secretary and DGP

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on Sunday, called for a meeting with the State Home Secretary and Haryana DGP over the shooting. He also ordered counselling for personal security officers deputed with VVIPs, reported ANI.

Mahipal Singh was sent to a four-day police custody by a Gurgaon court.

The Gurgaon police had sought a week's custody for Singh’s extensive interrogation to establish the reason why he shot Ritu and Dhruv. It has also set up a Special Investigation Team.

‘Ritu, Dhruv Were Lying in a Pool of Blood’

Gurugram (East) DCP Sulochna Gajraj said the two had been rushed to Medanta hospital, where they were declared to be in a “critical” condition.

“Some locals informed the police about gunshots being fired outside the Arcadia market. When a police team reached the spot, they found Ritu and Dhruv lying in a pool of blood.”

Sulochna Gajraj, Gurugram DCP (East)

The police officer said Ritu had suffered a bullet injury in her chest, while Dhruv had in his head. Gajraj said the police team could not immediately find Singh at the scene, and he was later arrested in Faridabad.

After an initial interrogation of the accused, police officers said he was Haryana police’s head constable and was serving as the personal security guard of the judge for the past two years. He had been demanding leave to go home for the past few days but this was not granted. This might have led to him suffering from depression, the officers said.

"The judge also used to scold him often," one of the interrogating officers said.

During interrogation, the accused reportedly said that he was “irritated as he was asked to take them to the market,” reported Hindustan Times, quoting Gurugram Police Commissioner KK Rao.

“The accused, during interrogation, said he was mentally disturbed and irritated as he was asked to take them to the market and he did not like doing household chores.”

KK Rao, Gurugram Police Commissioner

(With inputs from NDTV and PTI)