A birthday party erupted into deadly violence in northern India when the guest of honor, Jeetu Saini, allegedly became enraged after cake was smeared on his face, left the celebration, then returned with accomplices and opened fire on fellow partygoers, killing three men from the same family, according to police.
The shooting took place late on April 25, 2026, on the first floor of RJS Fitness Gym on Subhash Road in Khurja, located in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district roughly 85 kilometers southeast of New Delhi.
Three Suspects in Custody as Primary Gunman Remains Fugitive
Police have arrested three suspects identified as Rupesh, Mayank and Naresh in connection with the triple homicide. A formal case naming 10 people for murder and rioting was filed at the Khurja Nagar police station. Jeetu Saini himself remains at large, and authorities have expanded their search across Bulandshahr and neighboring districts.
On a subsequent date, suspect Mayank Saini was shot in the leg during a police encounter after he allegedly attempted to escape custody and fired at officers while leading them to a concealed illegal firearm hidden under a flyover. More than 15 people have been brought in for questioning, according to officials.
Victims All From One Family
The three men killed were Amardeep Saini, Manish Saini and Akash Saini. Sanjay Saini, the brother of one victim, said that Manish was his younger brother, Akash his nephew and Amardeep was his uncle’s son. Indian outlets gave conflicting ages for the three men. The PTI news agency listed Amardeep as 30, Manish as 28 and Akash as 18, while other outlets gave different figures.
All three were struck multiple times and were declared dead upon arrival at the hospital, according to police. Investigators said Akash was chased as he tried to flee the building and was shot in the head.
Amardeep and Manish were engaged in farming, while Akash had been searching for work. Relatives gathered outside the hospital, demanding swift justice and the immediate arrest of the birthday boy whose alleged rage transformed a celebration into a massacre.
Cake Smearing Sparked Heated Argument
The bloodshed began during the cake-cutting ceremony when some of those present smeared cake on Saini’s face, police said. The playful gesture quickly soured into a heated argument between two groups of young men. Officers later recovered liquor bottles and beer cans from the scene, indicating alcohol was being consumed at the party.
Officials say Saini, furious, stormed out of the venue and returned about an hour later with several accomplices and a cache of firearms, including his brother’s licensed pistol. Sanjay Saini said that Jeetu and his associates came back armed with seven or eight weapons.
“They immediately started firing the moment they arrived and didn’t give anyone a chance,” Sanjay told reporters. He added that he had received a phone call from Jeetu’s group claiming his brother was being verbally abusive toward them, and attempted to defuse the situation, telling them he would sort it out in the morning — he was on his way to a wedding at the time. His plea went unheeded.
The gunfire sent panic ripping through the gym as partygoers dove for cover behind equipment. Before fleeing, the attackers allegedly removed the CCTV DVR in a bid to destroy evidence of the rampage.
Investigators Examine Possible Underlying Tensions
Meerut Range Deputy Inspector General Kalanidhi Naithani said the killings stemmed from a clash between two groups of youths. While the cake-smearing incident appears to have lit the fuse, investigators believe the dispute may have deeper roots.
“The field unit is on the scene. They have collected some evidence, which will be analysed separately. At present, it is reported that there was some disagreement between them, due to which a fight broke out,” Naithani said.
An old rivalry, possibly connected to a local dharamshala and disputes over area dominance, may have played a role in escalating what should have been a harmless birthday joke into a deadly confrontation. Officers are examining whether tensions between the two factions had been simmering long before the celebration.
Manhunt Intensifies as Evidence Analyzed
Officers raced to the Khurja Nagar area after reports of gunfire and cordoned off the gym as a crime scene. Police teams have fanned out across Bulandshahr and neighboring districts in pursuit of Jeetu Saini and the remaining suspects believed to have helped him carry out the attack. Roadblocks and checkpoints have been set up, and authorities say efforts to apprehend those still at large are intensifying.
Forensic teams have combed the gym for evidence, and investigators are scouring CCTV footage from surrounding businesses and streets, hoping to track the suspects’ movements after the shooting. Investigators have also been working to recover or reconstruct footage from the removed DVR, hoping the system may yield critical evidence. Forensic samples gathered from the gym, including bullet casings and blood evidence, are being analyzed at a state laboratory.
The killings have stunned residents of Khurja, where the Saini family is well known. The gym, which doubled as a community gathering spot, was decorated for what was supposed to be a joyful occasion. Instead, party guests scrambled to hide between weight racks and behind equipment as bullets sprayed across the upper floor. By the time officers arrived, three men were dead and the gunmen had vanished into the night.