Ex-Air Force officer shot inside his eatery in Lucknow, assailants flee

A retired Indian Air Force officer was critically injured after he was shot by unidentified assailants at his restaurant in the Sushant Golf City area of Lucknow. The shooting occurred at around 10:30 pm at the Shopping Square-2 complex.

The victim has been identified as Awadhesh Kumar Pathak (60), a resident of Sant Kabir Nagar, who was inside his restaurant along with his wife, Mithlesh, when two armed men entered the premises and opened fire. Police said the first bullet struck Pathak in the shoulder, causing him to collapse immediately at the scene. Local residents and police rushed the injured officer to a private hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment in critical but stable condition, according to medical staff. Bloodstains were found scattered at the scene when police reached the spot, indicating the severity of the attack.

Lucknow police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons and launched an investigation, with teams already scanning CCTV footage and conducting forensic examination at the crime site. Officials said they are probing all angles, including personal enmity and business rivalry, as they work to identify and apprehend the gunmen.