Chennai: A 50-year-old man was shot dead by an unidentified man who scooted away after firing three rounds from what was believed to be a country-made weapon, on Tuesday evening. The incident was reported between 5.45 pm and 6 pm. An empty cartridge was recovered from the scene.
The victim identified as Babu Singh, 50, resident of Choolai who was running a travel agency, Shivshakthi Travels on Erulappan Street for the past eight years.
According to neighbours, he came to the shop at around 5.45 pm. Harish, a tenant, in the same building saw him arrive at the spot and park the bike. A few minutes later, a man who came on a bike fired three rounds, of which one hit Babu Singh’s body while two others failed to fire.
Hailing from Naradra village from Rajasthan, Babu Singh had moved to Chennai two decades ago. He is survived by his wife and two children. CCTV footage sourced from a neighborhood hospital had captured the entire episode of the shootout by the suspects in action. According to eyewitnesses, a duo on a two-wheeler was tracking the victim. The pillion-rider raised the gun from the seat even as he stood on the foot rest and fired at the victim. A lady worker in Babu Singh’s travel agency ran out to attend to the former who had collapsed on the spot.
The 108 bike ambulance service, which responded from the neighbourhood, tended to him and took him away to the Government General Hospital where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. A neighbor said the deceased was a calm person but would throw his weight as and when local issues arose, including domestic matters.
