A 42-year-old Singapore-based corporate executive and former regional business head of Tech Mahindra's Asia-Pacific operations was shot dead by his neighbour following a prolonged dispute over vehicle parking and a pet dog in Faridabad's Sector 21C on Friday night.
The victim, Paramjith Dhankhar, was working as senior vice-president at Vietnam-headquartered FPT Software Company Limited. He had previously spent more than two decades at Tech Mahindra, eventually becoming its Asia-Pacific regional business head.
According to police, his neighbour, identified as Mohan Sharma, alias Monu, allegedly opened fire on him using a licensed pistol, firing approximately 15 rounds. Nine bullets reportedly struck Dhankhar, killing him at the spot.
The incident took place around 8 pm when Dhankhar returned home after visiting a local gym. An argument reportedly broke out between the two men over a vehicle parked in a designated parking space. The confrontation escalated, following which Sharma allegedly pulled out his pistol and fired multiple rounds at Dhankhar.
The accused initially fled from the scene following the shooting. However, subsequent reports said police arrested him at DLF Chowk in Ballabgarh.
Parking and pet dog disputes preceded shooting
Police said the two families, who lived in the same four-storey residential building, had been involved in repeated disagreements over parking arrangements and the alleged defecation of a pet dog in the common parking area.
Dhankhar's family lived on the ground floor, while Sharma's family occupied the second floor, according to the initial police account.
Investigators said Sharma's son allegedly used to bring his dog to the parking area to defecate. Dhankhar's family had repeatedly objected to this practice, resulting in several confrontations between the neighbours.
The disagreements had intensified over the preceding few days, with another argument reported four to five days before the shooting. Other reports also said Sharma had allegedly abused Dhankhar's son, Shaurya, during an earlier confrontation.
On Friday night, the dispute reportedly resurfaced over the parking of a vehicle. Dhankhar allegedly objected to Sharma's vehicle being parked in the space allotted to his family when the argument escalated into the fatal shooting.
Dhankhar had returned from Singapore for family wedding
Dhankhar, who was settled in Singapore and frequently travelled between countries for professional commitments, had returned to Faridabad on November 5.
He had come to attend his nephew's wedding, scheduled for November 24, and was visiting his family ahead of the celebrations.
Originally from Hisar, Dhankhar had built a career in the technology sector, spending more than 20 years with Tech Mahindra before moving to FPT Software. At the time of his death, he was serving as the senior vice-president and was associated with the company's Asia-Pacific operations.
Police register murder case, launch investigation
Following the shooting, Dhankhar's son, Shaurya, approached the police and lodged a complaint. An FIR was registered at Surajkund police station on Saturday under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), pertaining to murder, along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act.
District police teams, Crime Branch personnel and forensic experts reached the residential building after receiving information about the incident. Investigators recovered several empty cartridges from the crime scene and examined the area as part of the investigation.
Dhankhar's body was taken to Badshah Khan Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad police, said the accused had fled shortly after the incident and that multiple teams had been formed to trace and arrest him.
Subsequent reports confirmed the arrest of Sharma. Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the shooting, including the history of disputes between the two families and the sequence of events immediately preceding the attack.