A 17-year-old girl was shot twice in a premeditated stalker attack in Shyam Colony, Ballabhgarh, Faridabad district, just 40 km from Delhi, on Monday evening. The victim, returning home from coaching classes with two friends, was targeted by Jatin Mangla, who had persistently stalked her despite her firm rejections of his advances. The incident, captured on CCTV, has sent shockwaves through the community and reignited concerns over women’s safety in the National Capital Region.

Surveillance footage reveals Mangla waiting strategically beside a motorcycle in the narrow alley, nervously concealing the firearm in his bag. As the trio entered the frame, he crossed the lane and fired without warning. The first bullet tore through her raised hand—instinctively lifted to shield her chest—and lodged in her shoulder. The second grazed her abdomen. Her friends scattered in panic as she crumpled to the ground, screaming in pain while the assailant grabbed his bag and sped away.

The victim’s sister later disclosed that Mangla had aimed directly for the heart, but the girl’s defensive gesture altered the bullet’s path, likely saving her life. Neighbors rushed to the scene, applying pressure to wounds until emergency services arrived. She was immediately transported to a nearby hospital, where surgeons are working to stabilize her critical condition. Doctors report the shoulder wound as severe, with risks of infection and long-term mobility issues.

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Police swiftly recovered the discarded weapon and registered an FIR under attempt to murder charges, based on the victim’s identification of Mangla from the footage. “The accused is known to the victim and had been harassing her for weeks,” a senior officer confirmed. Crime branch units, along with local teams, have launched an extensive manhunt, setting up checkpoints and scanning CCTV grids across Haryana and Delhi borders to trace the fugitive.

The brazen attack has fueled public outrage and demands for stricter anti-stalking laws and faster police response. Women’s rights groups are calling for mandatory counseling for rejected suitors and community awareness programs. As the teenager battles for recovery in the ICU, authorities face intense pressure to apprehend Mangla before he strikes again, ensuring justice prevails in this chilling case of obsession turned deadly.

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