After spat over leave, guard shoots Patna bank manager dead in Ghaziabad, later held

Patna/Ghaziabad: A Patna resident working as a bank manager in Ghaziabad was shot dead inside his branch office on Monday after a security guard, allegedly enraged over the denial of leave, opened fire on him and fled the spot with an accomplice.

The shooting took place around 1.30 pm at Balram Nagar, under the Loni Border police station area. The victim, Abhishek Sharma (34), was rushed to GTB Hospital in Delhi, where he died during treatment. His family was informed soon after, police said.

Sharma was a resident of Lakhimpur under the Phulwarisharif police station area in Patna. He had been posted as a manager at a Punjab and Sind Bank branch since Aug 2025 and was living in a rented house in Ghaziabad with his wife.

According to police, about three hours after the murder, the accused, Ravindra Hooda (45), a resident of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, was found drinking outside a liquor store in the Loni Border area and was arrested. An FIR has been registered against Hooda under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Hooda, who retired from the Army in 2018, had been working as a bank security guard for the past three months.

“Information was received that Punjab and Sind Bank manager Abhishek Sharma was shot by the bank’s guard, Ravindra Hooda. He was taken to hospital, but he died during treatment. Further legal action is being taken after interrogation and based on the complaint,” said Surendra Nath Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural Zone), Ghaziabad.

Tiwari said that Hooda did not report for duty on Monday morning, following which the bank manager called and reprimanded him, asking him to report to the branch immediately. Hooda allegedly arrived at the bank around 1.45pm, armed with a double-barrel gun, along with an associate identified as Shishpal Dheemer, and went straight to the manager’s cabin.

“An argument broke out between the guard and the manager over leave. Before other employees could react, Hooda shot Sharma in the chest and fled,” the DCP said, adding that 10 employees, including the manager, were present in the bank at the time.

Some bank staff told police that Hooda frequently skipped duty without informing seniors and would shout at anyone who questioned his conduct. During questioning, he allegedly said he was upset with Sharma’s behaviour.

“He claimed the manager scolded him whenever he took leave and deducted Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 from his monthly salary of Rs 12,000,” a senior officer said.

Police said the incident was captured on the bank’s CCTV cameras.