Shootout in Delhi's Rohini, 5 people of Neeraj Bawana gang taken into custody

Five criminals of Neeraj Bawana gang were taken into custody after a brief shootout in Delhi’s Rohini area during early morning hours on Monday. According to the news agency ANI, a team of Special Cell of Delhi Police had undertaken the operation after a specific tip-off about the criminals. The shootout happened near Swarn Jayanti Park in Rohini. Three of the five arrested were injured in cross-firing. The police said that five weapons have been seized from their possession. The Neeraj Bawana gang members were wanted in two murder cases.

Last year, the Delhi Police had arrested three suspected members of the same gang in August. The accused were identified as Vaashu Sharma alias Bunti (30), Sarjeev alias Sanju (24) and Yogesh (27), who were arrested from near Sector 14, Dwarka Metro Station, on August 26, the police said. Two automatic pistols along with four live cartridges and a country-made pistol along with two live cartridges were recovered from their possession, they said.

In 2015, Bunti along with his associates had killed rival gangster of Rajesh Bawania gang Anil Gujjar and Ishwar alias CP, police said. On June 7, he came out on parole in the above case for 10 days from the Tihar jail, but he absconded and was planning a "big loot" to arrange money for marriage of his sister, they added.

In the same month, another member of the Neeraj Bawana gang was arrested after an encounter, which took place near the Millennium depot in southeast Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan area at around 5:15 am. The accused, Saddam Hussain, was previously involved in seven crime cases and was wanted in a firing incident that occurred Kotla Mubarakpur, the Delhi Police officer officer said. Police had received information that Hussain would come near the Millennium depot on a motorcycle. Subsequently, a trap was laid to arrest him. He suffered bullet injuries in the exchange of fire and was taken to a hospital, the officer said.

(With agency inputs)