50-year-old Dinesh Kumar Sharma works at Mitsuba 50-year-old Dinesh Kumar Sharma works at Mitsuba

A Human Resources (HR) head at a Japanese company in Gurgaon was shot at by two bike-borne assailants while he was heading to work on Thursday morning, said police. A disgruntled employee, whose services he had terminated “around three months ago”, is suspected to be behind the attack, police said.

According to police, the incident took place around 8 am, when the victim, Dinesh Kumar Sharma (50), was driving from his home in Sector 43 to the Mitsuba Corporation’s office on Tauru road. “Two men on a bike approached his vehicle near Pathreri village and opened fire. He managed to continue driving till the office, where his co-workers rushed him to Rockland Hospital in Manesar,” said Ravinder Kumar, PRO of Gurgaon police.

His father, Rati Ram Sharma, said doctors operated upon Dinesh to remove the bullets that had penetrated his back and that he was out of danger.

Police sources claimed they suspect a third person had been following Dinesh from the time he left home, and was updating the assailants on his location. Police added that it seems they were targeting his head, but missed as the vehicle went over a speed breaker just as they pulled the trigger.

Police have registered a case at Bilaspur police station under relevant IPC sections. Three people have been named in the FIR, including the sacked employee and his brother.

The FIR mentions that “seven-eight other people” are also suspected to be involved, and had been threatening the victim for the past few months.

“A man, who Dinesh had sacked some months ago, is suspected to be involved. His family had been threatening the victim with dire consequences if he did not arrange for him to be re-hired,” said PRO Kumar.

Dinesh’s father also confirmed this, stating that the accused, who worked as an apprentice with the company, had been fired three months ago. “His family had been threatening my son for several months. They approached him at the office and outside, demanding that he be taken back,” said Rati Ram.

Other employees, who were at the hospital, said apprentices are usually hired for a training period of one year, after which only the best “10-15%” are retained. Rati Ram also claimed that on Wednesday morning, the suspect’s brother called Dinesh to Bilaspur Chowk. Even as Dinesh insisted that he couldn’t revert his decision, he threatened him, claimed the father.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.