What should have been a joyful birthday party ended in carnage when a man allegedly opened fire on his own guests at a gym in northern India, killing three members of the same family after they smeared cake on his face during the celebration, police said.
Jeetu Saini, the birthday boy at the center of the April 25, 2026, shooting, remains on the run as authorities intensify their search across Bulandshahr and surrounding districts. Police have arrested three suspects and brought in more than 15 people for questioning in connection with the triple homicide that has shocked the community of Khurja.
The dead victims — Amardeep Saini, Manish Saini and Akash Saini — were all from one family. Manish was the younger brother of Sanjay Saini, while Akash was Sanjay’s nephew and Amardeep was his uncle’s son, according to Sanjay. PTI listed Amardeep as 30, Manish as 28 and Akash as 18, though other outlets provided different figures.
The party took place 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. During the cake-cutting ceremony, several attendees playfully smeared cake on Saini’s face, sparking an argument between two groups of young men at the alcohol-fueled gathering, according to investigators who later found liquor bottles and beer cans at the scene.
Enraged by the prank, Saini left the venue but came back approximately one hour later armed with a cache of weapons, including a licensed pistol belonging to his brother, police said. Sanjay Saini, brother of victim Manish, said Jeetu returned with accomplices carrying seven or eight firearms.
“They immediately started firing the moment they arrived and didn’t give anyone a chance,” Sanjay told reporters. He explained that Jeetu’s group had called him claiming his brother was verbally abusing them, but Sanjay was heading to a wedding and told them he would handle the matter in the morning. They ignored his attempt to calm the situation.
All three victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead when they reached the hospital, according to authorities. Investigators said Akash was pursued as he attempted to escape the building and was shot in the head.
Partygoers scattered and hid behind gym equipment as gunfire erupted across the upper floor. The attackers fled after allegedly stealing the CCTV DVR system in an attempt to erase evidence of the massacre, police said.
Police arrived at the Khurja Nagar location following reports of shooting and sealed off the gym. A murder and rioting case was filed at the Khurja Nagar police station against 10 individuals.
Authorities have taken three suspects into custody — Rupesh, Mayank and Naresh — in relation to the killings. On April 27, suspect Mayank Saini suffered a gunshot wound to his leg in a police encounter after he allegedly tried to flee and fired at officers while leading them to an illegal weapon concealed beneath a flyover, officials said.
“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,” Meerut Range Deputy Inspector General Kalanidhi Naithani said.
While the cake incident triggered the violence, Naithani indicated the shooting resulted from tensions between two youth factions. Investigators suspect a longstanding rivalry, potentially connected to disputes over a local dharamshala and territorial control, may have transformed what began as a harmless prank into a lethal confrontation. Police are exploring whether animosity between the groups had been building before the birthday celebration.
Forensic specialists have examined the gym for evidence, and detectives are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby businesses and streets to trace the suspects’ movements. Authorities are also attempting to retrieve or reconstruct video from the stolen DVR system. Forensic materials collected from the crime scene, including bullet casings and blood samples, are undergoing analysis at a state laboratory.
Law enforcement teams have deployed across the region with roadblocks and checkpoints established as the manhunt for Jeetu Saini and other suspects believed involved in the attack continues to expand.
The shooting has left Khurja residents reeling, as the well-known Saini family mourns the loss of three men killed in seconds. Amardeep and Manish worked in farming, while Akash had been looking for employment. Family members gathered outside the hospital on Sunday demanding swift justice and the immediate capture of the birthday celebrant whose alleged fury turned a party into a bloodbath.
