Slain Archana’s daughter tearfully recalls last hug

New Delhi: Not a single person in the family had thought that it would be their last hug until the shots were fired. The joy of New Year turned into grief for the Gupta family as the 42-year-old architect, who sustained head injuries from a bullet fired by a family friend, succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday.

Victim Archana’s daughter, Hoshika Gupta, hadn’t imagined even in her wildest dreams that the hug her mother gave her would be the last one as minutes after the hug she was shot by a family friend during celebratory firing.

Vikas Gupta, along with his wife Archana and daughter Hoshika were at a New Year bash organised by their friend of 25 years, Sanjeev Kumar Singh, at his farmhouse in South Delhi.

When the countdown for the New Year was going on and the clock was about to strike 12, one of the security guards fired couple of shots in the air. Instigated by this, Raju Singh, who was at the dance stage, took out his weapon and fired almost half a dozen rounds.  

Archana, who was enjoying the evening and dancing, suddenly collapsed. Seeing this, her husband approached her and found that one of the bullets had hit the left side of her head and blood was flowing profusely. She was immediately taken to the hospital in a car belonging to Raju’s brother, Sanjiv, and her condition remained critical till she was declared brain dead on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Gupta succumbed to her injuries. Subsequently, the first FIR of 2019 registered at Fatehpur Beri police station of South district was changed from attempt to murder to murder.

Displaying exemplary courage and strength, her family decided to donate her organs. After an NOC was obtained from the Delhi police — since this was a medico-legal case — Archana’s kidneys were donated.

Police has arrested the absconding Raju Singh and his driver Hari Singh from Kushinagar in UP. It even arrested Raju’s wife, Renu Singh, and one of their friends Ramender for destroying evidence and threatening eyewitnesses.