The killing of the patient inside a GTB Hospital ward could be a case of mistaken identity as a criminal had been shifted from the same ward only a day before the incident occurred, police said on Monday.

The deceased's family members, too, have claimed that the criminal was the original target.

Multiple police teams have been formed to investigate the murder of Riyazuddin (32), who was shot dead by a teenager inside ward number 24 in GTB hospital on Sunday, officials said. After the incident, resident doctors of the hospital on Monday began an indefinite strike raising serious concerns about their safety.

Multiple teams of crime branch, a team led by SHO of GTB Enclave police station, and a team comprising personnel of adjoining police stations are investigating the case.

"The teams are checking CCTV footage to know how many people were involved, how many entered the hospital, which vehicle they used, trail of the vehicle and where they fled after crime. We are looking at all possible angles," a senior police officer said.

"The police will nab the accused very soon," the officer added.

The victim, who was said to be a dentist, had been admitted to the hospital on June 23 and was undergoing treatment for abdominal infection, according to police.

The police said the murder could be a case of mistaken identity as a criminal of the city's Welcome area was also being treated in ward number 24, but was shifted to another ward a day before the incident.

They added that they have checked the records of Riyazuddin, a resident of Khajuri Khas area, and no criminal background was found against him.

"If it was a case of mistaken identity, we are investigating that angle and can only confirm with the arrest of the accused. Teams have activated their local sources to gather information about the accused and nab them immediately," the police officer said.

Police departments of neighbouring states Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have also been asked to monitor CCTV footage so that the accused can be caught if they attempt to cross the border, the officer added.

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