Three men from the same family were killed in a mass shooting at a gym in Uttar Pradesh, India after a birthday celebration turned deadly when the guest of honor allegedly returned with armed accomplices following a cake-smearing incident, police said.
Jeetu Saini remains on the run after allegedly opening fire at RJS Fitness Gym in Khurja on April 25, 2026, killing Amardeep Saini, Manish Saini and Akash Saini. The gym is located on Subhash Road in the Bulandshahr district, roughly 85 kilometers southeast of New Delhi.
Authorities have arrested three suspects — Rupesh, Mayank and Naresh — while more than 15 individuals have been questioned in connection with the triple homicide. A formal case naming 10 people for murder and rioting has been filed at the Khurja Nagar police station.
Sanjay Saini, brother of victim Manish Saini, told reporters he received a call from Jeetu’s group alleging his brother was verbally abusing them. He was attending a wedding and attempted to defuse the situation by saying he would resolve the matter the next morning, but his plea went unheeded.
“They immediately started firing the moment they arrived and didn’t give anyone a chance,” Sanjay said. He claimed Jeetu and his group came back carrying seven or eight firearms.
The violence erupted late on April 25 during what was meant to be a joyful birthday party for Saini at the fitness center. During the cake-cutting ceremony on the gym’s first floor, several attendees smeared cake on Saini’s face as a playful gesture, according to investigators.
The prank sparked an argument between two groups of young men at the party. Police noted that alcohol was present at the celebration, with liquor bottles and beer cans recovered from the scene afterward.
Enraged by the confrontation, Jeetu left the venue. About an hour later, officials say, he returned with several accomplices carrying a cache of firearms, including a licensed pistol belonging to his brother.
All three victims belonged to the same family. Sanjay Saini explained that Manish was his younger brother, Akash was his nephew and Amardeep was his uncle’s son. The PTI news agency listed Amardeep as 30, Manish as 28 and Akash as 18, while other outlets reported different ages.
Each victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, police confirmed. Investigators said Akash was shot in the head after he attempted to flee the building.
Partygoers scattered for safety, hiding behind gym equipment as gunfire erupted. The attackers fled after allegedly removing the CCTV DVR system in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence of the rampage.
Officers responded to reports of shooting and secured the gym as a crime scene. Forensic teams collected evidence from the location, and investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses and streets to trace the suspects’ movements.
“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 appears to have ignited the violence, investigators suspect a deeper conflict between the two groups. An old rivalry, possibly connected to a local dharamshala (religious shelter) 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.
On April 27, 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.
Police teams have spread across Bulandshahr and surrounding districts searching for Jeetu Saini and other suspects who allegedly participated in the attack. Authorities have established roadblocks and checkpoints while intensifying efforts to capture those still at large.
Forensic samples from the gym, including bullet casings and blood evidence, are undergoing analysis at a state laboratory. Investigators are also working to recover or reconstruct footage from the stolen DVR, hoping the system may yield critical evidence.
The gym, which served as a community gathering spot in Khurja, had been decorated for celebration when bullets tore through the upper floor. By the time police arrived, three men lay dead and the shooters had disappeared into the night.
For the Saini family, the loss of three men in a single burst of gunfire has been devastating. Amardeep and Manish were engaged in farming, while Akash had been searching for work. Relatives gathered outside the hospital on Sunday, demanding swift justice and the immediate arrest of the birthday boy whose alleged rage transformed a celebration into a massacre.
