27-05-2025
Two held for attack on property dealer, hunt on for other accused
LUCKNOW The Lucknow Police arrested two key accused, Arshal Ghazi and Faiz Ali Rizvi, for their alleged role in a public shootout that left a hotelier-cum-property dealer seriously injured in the Sarvodaya Nagar area on Sunday evening.
The incident took place after a group of armed assailants clashed earlier in the day with the victim, Majroob Mursaleen, 35, originally from Kursi in Barabanki, over food at a local hotel, police said. The video of the incident went viral on social media raising questions on the law and order in the state capital. The shooting, allegedly rooted in a long-standing family dispute, created panic among locals, said police.
According to ADCP (east) Pankaj Singh, a joint team from Ghazipur police station, SWAT/surveillance team of the crime branch and the East Zone crime unit nabbed the accused near Kalyan Apartment within a day of the crime. Along with their arrest, police recovered a .32 bore country-made pistol, live ammunition and a black SUV used in the attack.
'The involvement of 10 people has come to fore, out of which two are nabbed. A team is working to nab the remaining accused,' said the ADCP East.
Investigations revealed that the victim, Majroob Mursaleen, is the cousin of accused Arshal Ghazi. According to police, the accused fired four rounds at him outside a shop, aiming to settle personal scores. When bystanders gathered, the attackers fled in an SUV after removing its number plate in an attempt to evade identification.
According to police, the attack was not random. 'It was a targeted hit, carefully planned with help from friends and associates and had started over a dispute over food,' said an official part of the probe.
During interrogation, Arshal confessed to orchestrating the attack along with Farman, Nadeem, Samridh, Animesh, and others. A manhunt is underway to nab the remaining suspects.
The case opened a can of worms as both the accused have significant criminal records. 'Arshal Ghazi has a previous case under charges of assault, Faiz Ali Rizvi has been booked under Gangster Act, attempt to murder and fraud, among others including charges under the SC/ST Act,' the Lucknow Police stated in a release. 'Even the victim, Mursaleen, has a criminal background, suggesting deep-rooted rivalries,' said the ADCP.
The police lodged an FIR under multiple section including 190/191(2)/191(3)/109(1)/3(5) of the BNS, 7 CLA Act, 3/25 Arms Act.
