'Officer felled not by enemy but goon': Dehradun erupts in rage & shock after stray bullet kills retired brigadier

DEHRADUN: The death of Brig Mukesh Kumar Joshi, retd, 74, in Monday morning's firing on Sinola Road has left his family in shock and triggered wider concern in Dehradun, with residents, ex-servicemen and opposition leaders questioning the state of law and order in the capital.

Joshi's brother-in-law, Rakesh Upreti, who was with him on the morning walk when he was hit by a stray bullet, said the family was struggling to come to terms with what had happened. "His son, an Indian Navy Commander, is currently deployed in Mauritius for two years. Brig Joshi and his wife had gone to visit him and returned only last month," Upreti told TOI. He said Joshi had also recently visited his daughter in Goa, where she works as a journalist, and that she had come back with her parents to Dehradun. "After his death, both his wife and daughter were shattered. They are not in a position to speak to anyone," he said.

Upreti said Joshi's son left for India soon after being informed of the incident and was expected to reach Dehradun on Tuesday evening. "The last rites are likely to be performed the next day with military honours by the local Army base," he said.

S P Sharma, who was also with Joshi during the walk, said the death had been difficult to process. "During his service of 3 decades, the enemy bullet failed to kill him. But a bullet from a goon inside his own country killed him for no fault of his," he said.

The incident also drew a strong response from former servicemen in the state. Lt Gen Mohan Bhandari, retd, who now lives in Almora, said the killing had raised questions about public safety in the city. "What happened was deeply shocking. It also raises serious questions on the law and order situation in the capital city, where it has now become risky for people to even have a morning walk," he told TOI. "We urge the police to nab the accused as soon as possible and take strict action against them."

Opposition Congress also attacked govt over the incident, linking it to other recent killings in the city and alleging that such crimes were no longer isolated episodes. Congress members said murders in broad daylight had become frequent in Dehradun in recent months.