Ghaziabad: In a case of profound betrayal, 22-year-old Yash Khatik was arrested on Monday for the murder of his fellow para-athlete and mentor Chirag Tyagi. Yash was detained overnight and formally charged on Monday. Police also arrested Gagan Tyagi (23), who allegedly helped Yash procure the pistol used in the crime. Ironically, the payment for the weapon was made by Chirag himself, traced to his Paytm account. It remains unclear whether Chirag knew about the transaction or simply assisted Yash with a payment. The pistol was sourced through Gagan from an absconding supplier, Abhinav alias Abhay, a week before the May 30 crime.
Friendship Turned Sour
Chirag and Yash shared a deep friendship that dated back seven years. They met at a local ground in Muradnagar and quickly formed a close bond. Chirag, who was a national-level para-athlete representing Uttar Pradesh, had recently won gold at the Indian Open Para Athletics International in Bengaluru and qualified for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. Both competed in the T-12 category for visually impaired athletes who cannot see beyond 2 meters. However, their careers took divergent paths. While Chirag excelled, Yash was found ineligible for the Youth Asian Games in December 2025 by World Para Athletics (WPA), which rejected his disability certification documents as insufficient. Yash believed Chirag had deliberately filled incorrect details to sabotage his career, according to police.
Chirag's Support
It was at Chirag's request that coach Gajendra Singh allowed Yash to train at JLN Stadium in Delhi. Chirag supported Yash financially, provided protein supplements and other essentials, and personally prepared his competition documents. The two shared Room No 20 at the JLN Stadium hostel. “They were like brothers,” the coach said. After the WPA rejection, Yash's attitude changed, and Singh stopped training him. But Chirag continued to help and offer advice.
The Murder
On Saturday, Yash called Chirag, claiming villagers in Muradnagar were planning a welcome ceremony for his Asian Games selection. He said he was in Delhi and persuaded Chirag to share a cab home. They met outside JLN Stadium, where Chirag had been staying after returning from Bengaluru. During the journey, Chirag tried to comfort Yash, telling him his own selection would come. But Yash directed the cab to Mahamaya Stadium near Hindon at Sai Upvan. They got out and walked together before Yash allegedly pulled out the pistol and shot Chirag twice from behind. Before firing, Yash reportedly said, “Chirag, this is the same track where you and I started our careers — let us end your life and my career here.”
Post-Murder Actions
After the murder, Yash used a blank cheque he had obtained from Chirag to withdraw Rs 3.25 lakh from the victim’s Bank of India account, which contained Rs 4.25 lakh in prize money. He intended to flee the country. Yash then traveled to his village Basantpur Sentli in the same cab. Chirag's body was recovered from Sai Upvan on Saturday. Police are tracing the absconding supplier Abhinav.
Yash features in many photos Chirag posted on Instagram. The postmortem report revealed the first bullet struck the back of Chirag's head and lodged in his forehead; the second entered through his back and exited below the heart.
