Man held for assaulting shop owner, brandishing pistol

Lucknow: A man who allegedly brandished a pistol and threatened a mobile shop owner during a late-night altercation in the Hazratganj area was arrested on Thursday following protests by traders.A video of the incident went viral, showing the accused, Vivek Singh, pointing a pistol at the shop owner at Shriram Tower on Wednesday night. According to a complaint lodged by shop owner Kavish Adit, Singh came to buy a mobile phone when an argument broke out and quickly escalated.In his complaint, Adit alleged that Singh not only pointed the weapon at his chest but also fired a shot, though no injuries were reported. “He threatened to kill me and struck me repeatedly with the pistol,” Adit stated.The commotion drew nearby traders and customers, prompting the accused to flee. However, anger mounted later in the night as shopkeepers gathered at Hazratganj police station, claiming they shared the accused’s mobile number, vehicle details and photographs with police, but action was delayed.Hazratganj inspector Vikram Singh confirmed the arrest and said a case was registered. “All evidence, including CCTV footage, is being examined to establish the sequence of events,” he said.