Baghpat, November 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A 26-year-old Army jawan posted with the President’s Bodyguard was critically injured after an argument over bursting firecrackers escalated into a shooting incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district on Diwali night, police said.
The soldier, identified as Saurabh Tomar, sustained a bullet injury to the head, behind his ear, during a confrontation in Gopalpur Khadana village on November 8. He is undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in Meerut.
According to local accounts, Saurabh was bursting firecrackers outside his house with his brothers when an argument broke out with two villagers. The dispute allegedly turned violent, with one of the men, identified in the account as Dheeraj, pulling out a country-made pistol and firing at the soldier. The bullet reportedly struck a wall before hitting Saurabh.
During the ensuing clash, one of Saurabh’s brothers was allegedly attacked with a stick, while another brother reportedly assaulted one of the villagers with sticks. The accused fled after the incident.
Baghpat Circle Officer Anshu Jain said Ramala police station received information about the shooting at around 10 p.m. on November 8. Police reached the village and inspected the scene, while the injured were taken to a hospital in Meerut by their family members.
Saurabh was initially taken to a Community Health Centre in Baraut before being referred to Meerut for advanced treatment. His family later shifted him to a private hospital, where doctors performed surgery and removed the bullet. His condition remains critical.
Jain said an FIR had been registered against two accused on the basis of a complaint filed by Saurabh’s father, Janak Raj. Three police teams have been formed to trace and arrest them.
Saurabh joined the Army in 2021 and is posted at Rashtrapati Bhavan as part of the President’s Bodyguard, the Army’s senior-most cavalry regiment. He had returned to his native village on leave to celebrate Diwali with his family.
The police investigation is underway, and the accused have yet to be arrested.
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