NEW DELHI: A 50-year-old Unani doctor was shot dead inside his cabin at Nima Hospital in Khadda Colony of South Delhi‘s Jaitpur Extension early on Thursday.
According to police, two shooters, reportedly minors, entered the hospital posing as patients at around 1.15am. One of them got treated for a purported foot injury and then entered the cabin of Javed Akhtar, the doctor on duty, and shot him in the head.The two fled on a motorcycle.
Later on Thursday, police detained one of the suspects and questioned him. They are looking for his accomplice.
The detained boy claimed to have been hired by the husband of a nurse. The husband, the minor said, suspected his wife of having an affair with the doctor and planned to get him eliminated.
“Moreover, the boy was reportedly in love with the nurse’s daughter and the husband allegedly promised him that he could marry the daughter if he killed Akhtar. The minor also withdrew money from the husband’s ATM account,” said a senior police officer, adding that the cops were verifying these claims and questioning the nurse and her husband.
The breakthrough came when police found a CCTV footage showing the minor shoot Akhtar, flash a victory sign and flee the hospital on the motorcycle. The cops checked the minor’s Instagram account where he posted a photo of himself posing with a pistol, boasting, “First murder of 2024.” This led the cops to him.
Accused in Unani doctor murder claims monetary dispute, but later recants
Dr Javed Akhtar resided with his family in a central Delhi locality. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. A BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) doctor, Akhtar practiced at Nima Hospital, a three-bed facility in Jaitpur Extension’s Khadda Colony. He had 20 years of experience, working with various city hospitals.
DCP Rajesh Deo said that on Wednesday night, Dr. Akhtar was on duty at the hospital, accompanied by a nurse and an assistant. Around 1.15am, two minors arrived, claiming one had an injured foot. After receiving treatment, they asked for medication, and one of the minors entered Dr. Akhtar’s cabin, shooting him in the head.
The assailants fled on a bike, leaving the hospital staff and nearby residents in a state of panic. Police arrived promptly and sent the body for post-mortem.
CCTV footage reveals the two tried to kill Akhtar the previous night but were unsuccessful because another doctor was present there.
While police are exploring various angles, the exact circumstances will become clearer after the accused are apprehended, they said. The accused claimed that he had a monetary dispute with the doctor but later recanted his statement.
Akhtar’s wife last spoke to him at 1:30 am on Thursday; he said everything was fine, had eaten, and was preparing to sleep. However, in the morning, she received a call from the hospital owner, stating he was attacked by a patient and admitted to AIIMS. Upon arrival, she learned he was shot by two assailants posing as patients.