Dehradun

A peaceful morning in Dehradun turned tragic on Monday when a retired Army officer lost his life after being caught in a crossfire during a violent road rage incident, police said.

The victim, 74-year-old Brigadier Mukesh Joshi (Retd), had stepped out for his routine morning walk in Johri village along Mussoorie Road in the Rajpur area when gunfire suddenly erupted between occupants of two vehicles following a dispute over giving way.

According to officials, the altercation began between passengers of a Delhi-registered Toyota Fortuner and a Mahindra Scorpio N. The disagreement reportedly stemmed from a minor road incident involving overtaking, which quickly escalated into a heated argument and then violence.

“There were three to four people in each vehicle. After the argument, members of both groups allegedly opened fire at each other,” said Superintendent of Police (City) Pramod Kumar.

Caught in the middle of the exchange, Brigadier Joshi sustained critical injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but later succumbed, the officer confirmed.

Police said Joshi lived alone in a rented accommodation in the Jakhan area of the city, while his family resides in Delhi and other places.

The incident took a further dramatic turn when the Fortuner lost control amid the firing and crashed into a roadside tree near a government primary school. Following the crash, occupants of the Scorpio allegedly assaulted those inside the Fortuner and vandalised the vehicle before fleeing the scene.

Three individuals travelling in the Fortuner — identified as Akhlaq, Mohit, and Aadesh — have been taken into custody and are currently being interrogated. Police said the suspects initially tried to mislead investigators by claiming that only the Scorpio occupants had opened fire.

“During sustained questioning, they admitted that they were also armed and had retaliated,” Kumar said, indicating that both sides were involved in the exchange of fire.

Authorities have launched a massive manhunt to track down the occupants of the Scorpio. Multiple police teams have been deployed, and checkpoints have been set up across the district to prevent the suspects from escaping.

Addressing speculation surrounding the incident, police clarified that there is no evidence so far to suggest that the altercation originated at a nightclub. “As of now, it appears to be a case of road rage triggered by an overtaking dispute. A clearer picture will emerge once the other group is apprehended,” Kumar added.

One of the detained individuals, Mohit, claimed that the Scorpio occupants appeared intoxicated and took offence when his vehicle moved slightly ahead of theirs. He alleged that they chased his car and opened fire, leading to the crash.

“They came right behind my car and started shooting. I lost control, and the vehicle hit a tree. After that, they attacked us with rods and sticks,” he claimed.

Police are verifying these claims as part of the investigation.

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The incident has sent shockwaves through the city, highlighting the dangerous consequences of road rage and the ease with which minor disputes can spiral into deadly violence. The killing of a retired senior Army officer in such circumstances has raised serious concerns about public safety and law enforcement challenges in urban areas.