Under-19 cricketer Gagandeep Singh shot dead in Meerut

Gagandeep was shot when he tried to nab one of four youths who had attacked a man in Lal Kurti locality of Meerut late Friday.

"Four youths shot at a trader, Haji Shahnawaz, after a brawl and were escaping from there when Gagandeep, along with his friends, tried to nab them. One of the youths opened fire at Gagandeep. The cricketer was rushed to hospital where he succumbed," Inspector Rakesh Kumar said.
The incident occurred around 11:30 pm last night when Singh along with his friend was standing outside a shop selling 'kebabs' in Meerut which is about 65 km from Delhi.
Police said a man got out of the car and demanded that he be served kebabs. When the shopkeeper Shahnawaz asked him to wait, he started abusing him.
Another man whose face was covered then came out of the same car and started firing in which 18-year-old Singh and the shopkeeper were killed, police said.

"Shahnawaz and another passerby received pellet injuries and were discharged after first aid. Shahnawaz runs a meat shop and had a dispute with some youths in the afternoon. The same people returned in the night to kill Shahnawaz. However, Gagandeep became a victim," he said.

"Based on the information provided by Shahnawaz, we have gathered vital clues and hope to nab the culprits soon," Kumar added.
Gagandeep, who was a member of the Indian under-19 cricket team in Australia six months ago, was in Meerut to play a match against Hyderabad's team in the tournament for the ongoing C.K. Naidu trophy. He was going back to his hotel along with two other cricketers of the Uttar Pradesh team when the incident took place.
Gagandeep was a native of Kanpur and a member of the Uttar Pradesh under-19 cricket team.