A 40-year-old gangster was gunned down by a group of assailants in north Delh’s Narela on Sunday in what police suspect to be a case related to a gang war.
The incident happened at 10.45 a.m. on Lampur Road in Narela Industrial area when the victim. Virender Mann alias Kale, was going to visit one of his relatives in his car with a driver.
The attackers surrounded the car of the victim and opened indiscriminate fire. They shot the victim over 20 times. The entire incident unfolded in full public view, said the police.
“More than 40 rounds were fired at the car. We ran for our lives. It all happened around 200 metres from the Narela police station,” said an eyewitness.
Police said the victim was involved in 13 heinous crimes, including murder and robbery.
Driver escapes unhurt
“The driver of the car managed to escape unhurt but Virender, who was in the passenger’s seat, was seriously injured. The murder could be a fall-out of an old rivalry or personal enmity. We have formed teams to identify the attackers,” said a senior police officer.
“The white-coloured car in which Virender was travelling was intercepted by four people travelling in another car. When his car got stuck in slow traffic, the assailants got down and opened fire on Virender’s car,” said a policeman.
Police said they are verifying the driver’s role as he is the only survivor in the attack. “A PCR van reached the spot after getting a call. The victim was shifted to Raja Harish Chander Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds,” said a policeman.
A doctor on duty at the hospital claimed there were around 20-25 bullet-entry wounds in Virender’s body.
Names of criminal gang members such as Sandeep Mental and Jitender Gogi have surfaced in relation to the case. Virender was associated with a political party and had also fought in the municipal elections, said the police.