Ashni Dhaor and Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; May 22, 2019)

After being booked for vandalising a convenience store in Shopprix Mall in Sector 4, Vaishali, Ghaziabad, on May 12, TV actor Aansh Arora has now been booked for attempt to murder after six masked men claiming allegiance to the actor fired gunshots at the store on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday (May 20). “On the basis of the complaint filed by a store staff, an FIR against Aansh and five-six unidentified persons has been registered under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) at the Indirapuram Police Station,” said Sandeep Singh, Station House Officer, Indirapuram Police Station.

The actor, known for TV shows like Kasam Tere Pyar Ki, had filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission last week, alleging police brutality.

MASKED MEN TOLD US TO TAKE BACK THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST AANSH: STAFFER OF STORE WHICH WAS VANDALISED
According to Abhinav, the complainant, who is a staffer at the store, the incident happened at around 1.55am. “The men shattered our store entrance by firing at it and barged in. They started vandalising the store with hockey sticks. Before I could dial 100, one of them pointed a gun at me and said, ‘Aansh bhai ke khilaf jo report likhwai hai woh wapas le lo, warna achcha nahi hoga’. He was also asking for the CCTV footage,” said Abhinav, who added that the assailants fired 10 rounds of gun shots.

It was only when the armed security guard of the store fired a shot in the air that the assailants reportedly fled. “While I dialled 100, the security guard outside the store fired a shot in the air, which is when the men fled the spot. The mall security’s Quick Response Team’s (QRT) van, stationed outside the store, was also vandalised by the men, its glass shattered with hockey sticks,” added Abhinav.

By the time the police reached the spot, the masked men had fled. The police took the CCTV footage of the store and filed a complaint against Aansh Arora and six unknown people. “We are trying to ascertain whether Aansh was among those who attacked the store or not. The CCTV footage of the store is being analysed and investigation is on, after which we will make arrests,” said Aparna Gautam, Circle Officer, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad Police. She added that goods worth Rs 20 lakh have been destroyed and the store will now remain shut for a few days pending renovation.

GHAZIABAD POLICE IS TRYING TO FRAME ME IN A FALSE CASE: AANSH ARORA
While the store owner has complained to the police, Aansh is insisting that he has not done anything wrong and claims that his life is in danger. Addressing the allegations of the store being vandalised, Aansh told us, “These allegations that I have vandalised the store and was involved in a firing incident aren’t true. I’m not aware who vandalised their store, but I believe that all this is being done to frame me. I have complained against the Ghaziabad police and that’s why the police officials are trying to frame me in a false case. Since the last two days, I have been getting threat calls from unknown numbers, with people asking me to withdraw my complaint against the police. They have threatened me that if I don’t, I will have to bear the consequences. My life is in danger.”

A source close to Aansh told us, “The store has been claiming that the men who vandalised the place also asked for the CCTV footage which shows Ansh being involved in the brawl that took place on the intervening night of May 11 and 12. But why would Aansh do that when he knows that the DVR of the CCTV footage is with police?”

WE ARE ONLY GOING TO BELIEVE IN EVIDENCE, NOT WHAT A PERSON ALLEGES: POLICE
When asked whether claims made by Aansh are true, Gautam said, “We are not going to believe what someone alleges and we will only consider evidence. In the last week’s CCTV footage, we could see Aansh vandalising the store, while in the last footage, we see six men doing the same, firing at the store and threatening the staff in the name of the actor.”

WHERE WAS THE MALL’S SECURITY?
According to Vikram Bhati, who looks after the administration at Shopprix Mall, Vaishali, there were around six-seven security guards present at the mall at the time of the incident. When asked how could the assailants then enter the premises, he said, “The security guards are stationed all across the mall and not at one place. The assailants who entered the store did not come by car but walked across the road and we didn’t see the weapons on them.”

Why didn’t they see the hockey sticks in their hands? “There was only one guard at the point from where the assailants entered, hence he couldn’t stop them,” he said, adding, “Jab5-6 log store mein ghusenge, toh ek guard kya karlega samajhne ki baat hai.”


According to the police, goods worth Rs 20 lakh have been destroyed