National-level para-athlete shot dead days after winning gold
What's the story
A 25-year-old national-level para-athlete, Chirag Tyagi, was shot dead in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. The incident took place just days after he qualified for the Para Asian Games in Japan this October. Tyagi had recently won a gold medal in the 400-meter race at the National Para Athletics Championship in Bengaluru. His family later filed a police complaint after failing to contact him.
Discovery
Body found in Ghaziabad
Tyagi's body was discovered on Saturday afternoon in Ghaziabad. Initial examinations indicated he had been shot dead, NDTV reported. The report stated that the police then reviewed CCTV footage and arrested Yash Khatik, another para-athlete who had trained with Tyagi and competed against him in the "blind" category of athletics.
Arrest and motive
Professional revenge
During interrogation, it was discovered that Tyagi had previously complained about Khatik's document verification, leading to his disqualification. DCP Dhaval Jaiswal said the motive behind the murder was "professional revenge." He added that Khatik lured Tyagi to an isolated spot and shot him in the back to settle scores. Following this revelation, Khatik was arrested, and a case has been registered against him.
Ongoing investigation
Police probing if anyone else was involved
The police are now working to recover the weapon used in the crime and are probing whether anyone else was involved. The exact cause of death and method of killing are expected to become clearer after the post-mortem report is received. The accused is currently in custody and being questioned.