Noida man staged shooting on himself to frame neighbour, three arrested
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Gautam Buddha Nagar Police on Monday, 2 November 2026, unravelled a carefully orchestrated conspiracy in Greater Noida, in which a resident allegedly arranged a shooting attack on himself to falsely implicate his neighbour in a criminal case. The plot, driven by a personal feud dating back nearly a year, was exposed after investigators scrutinised CCTV footage and other physical evidence that contradicted the complainant's account.
How the conspiracy was hatched
Harendra Nagar, a resident of the Dadri police station area, reportedly masterminded the scheme along with five associates. According to the police, he invited two individuals — Atul Bhati and Prateek alias Kalua — to his home and instructed them to open fire on him, deliberately positioning the incident in front of a CP Plus CCTV camera to make it appear authentic.
After staging the shooting, Harendra Nagar filed a formal complaint at the Dadri police station, naming his neighbour Vikas Sain as the perpetrator. The apparent motive was a dispute the two had roughly a year ago, following which Harendra allegedly nursed a desire for revenge and resolved to see Vikas imprisoned.
Evidence that unravelled the plot
As investigators dug deeper, several inconsistencies surfaced. Crucially, CCTV footage from the scene contradicted the version presented in the complaint, pointing instead to a staged event. A locally made .315-bore pistol, two live .315-bore cartridges, a CP Plus DVR, and a motorcycle used in the operation were seized during the probe, according to police.
The recovered firearm and cartridges were found in the possession of the arrested suspects, strengthening the case against the alleged conspirators.
The three arrested
The Dadri police arrested three individuals in connection with the conspiracy. They have been identified as:
Prateek alias Kalua (26), a resident of Kudikheda village and the nephew of Harendra Nagar; Atul Bhati (29), a resident of Sakipur and Harendra's brother-in-law; and Abhishek Nagar (25), a resident of Nyadarganj and Harendra's son. All three are accused of active participation in the staged attack, according to police.
Background and significance
The case is notable for the degree of premeditation involved — the accused reportedly used family members to carry out the fake shooting and relied on surveillance footage as supposed 'proof', only for that same footage to become the instrument of their undoing. This comes amid persistent concerns in Uttar Pradesh about false police complaints being used as tools of personal vendetta, particularly in property and neighbourhood disputes.
The police have indicated that the investigation into the full conspiracy is ongoing, and further action against remaining accused, including Harendra Nagar himself, is expected as the case proceeds through the legal process.