LUCKNOW, Feb. 1 -- A retired Indian air force (IAF) officer was shot in the head at close range outside his restaurant in Ansal's Shopping Square-2 on Friday night, leaving him critically injured in what police suspect was a targeted attack.

Mithlesh Pathak, wife of the victim Awadesh Kumar Pathak, 60, said the attackers approached her husband around 10 pm and asked his name. Before he could respond, one of them fired a shot at his right temple from point-blank range and fled, leaving him bleeding on the ground.

Pathak, an honorary flight lieutenant in the IAF, retired in 2022, was loading goods from his shop at Shopping Square-1, Shop Number-222, into his car when the attack occurred, said deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (South) Ni...