The spot where Monu was shot dead
Minutes after being produced at the Rohini court on Friday, a man accused of having links with the Jitender Gogi gang was gunned down by armed assailants. Police said the dead has been identified as Monu. The accused fired 11 rounds at him, killing him on the spot, police said.
While police said they are investigating the motive, sources said it appears to be the fallout of a two-year-long turf war between Gogi’s gang and another led by gangster Tillu. Police are yet to make an arrest in the case, but have recovered footage from five CCTVs in the area. Police, however, claimed to have identified one of the accused as Dabang Tajpuria — a close aide of Gogi.
Eyewitnesses said Monu had finished eating snacks at an eatery near Pitampura power house and was crossing the road to buy cigarettes when a group intercepted him in a car. “There were two-three people, but I did not see them. We just heard gunshots. Most people in the locality ducked for cover. By the time police came, the man was covered in blood,” said A S Chawla, an eyewitness. Police said Tajpuria and his men spotted the victim at the eatery and opened fire.
Police said a pan kiosk worker, Sandeep, was injured in the firing. After a PCR call was made, the two injured were taken to Babu Jagjivan Ram hospital, where doctors declared Monu dead and Sandeep critical.
Police erected barricades at key escape points, but the accused managed to give them the slip.
Police also said the accused had planned the murder. “They came in a car and were waiting for an opportunity to strike. They knew he was to be produced in court today,” a police source said.
Following preliminary investigation, police claimed that four men had executed the attack. They had conducted a recce at the court when Monu entered, and parked their car outside, police said. “But when Monu came out of the court, there was a lot of crowd and they could not kill him. So they tailed him for a few metres,” an officer said.