Former Indian Air Force Officer Targeted in Brazen Lucknow Assassination Attempt

A retired Indian Air Force officer was critically wounded in a targeted shooting outside his Lucknow establishment late Wednesday evening, raising immediate security concerns about attacks on former military personnel. Awadesh Kumar Pathak, 60, was ambushed by unidentified assailants who approached him near his eatery around 2200 hours, confirmed his wife Mithlesh Pathak in her statement to authorities. According to eyewitness accounts, the perpetrators demanded identification before one assailant discharged a firearm at point-blank range into Pathak's right temporal region, fleeing the scene immediately and leaving the victim hemorrhaging at the location. The surgical precision of the attack, combined with the assailants' specific inquiry regarding the victim's identity prior to the assault, suggests this was a premeditated operation rather than random violence. Local law enforcement has launched a comprehensive investigation, though no suspects have been apprehended and no clear motive has been established. This incident underscores growing apprehensions regarding the safety of retired defense personnel in urban centers and highlights potential intelligence gaps in protective measures for citizens with sensitive former affiliations. The victim remains hospitalized in critical condition as forensic teams examine ballistic evidence and security footage from the vicinity.