Gangster out on bail shot dead in Ambala

Victim was first shot in the back, then in the chest and head; 8 shots were fired, of which 7 hit him as shown in autopsy

A day after a 35-year-old criminal out on bail was shot dead by two assailants near Hathikhana Mandir in Ambala Cantt, police are still clueless about the shooters’ identity.

The victim’s sister told the police that in December 2019, too, the two shooters along with seven of their accomplices had attacked her brother. (AFP)

Victim Jeetu, alias Diwakar, who ran a dairy business, succumbed to multiple bullet injuries at the civil hospital. After the autopsy report, police said that seven shots had hit him.

Deputy superintendent of police (DSP, Cantt) Ram Kumar said, “Five police teams are on the assailants’ trail, but none has been arrested so far. A probe is on and we expect a breakthrough soon.”

The CCTV footage of the incident showed that multiple shots were fired by the bike-borne assailants. The victim was first shot in the back, then in the chest and head, until he collapsed, the police said.

Victim’s sister Hans Kumari told the police that Jeetu and their servant Kapil had gone near the temple to tie the cows. “Kapil returned on a bike and told us that Jeetu was lying injured on the road. We took him to a hospital, but he died during treatment. I am sure that he was shot by Saurabh, alias Mau, of Chidimaar Mohalla, and Arjun, alias Ajju, of Kumhar Mohalla,” she said.

Victim attacked previously in 2019

Kumari said that in December 2019, the two shooters along with seven of their accomplices, had attacked her brother.

An FIR was lodged under Sections 34, 120B and 302 of the Indian Penal Code and under the Arms Act against the duo and seven others identified as Shammi Pandit, Sonu, alias Gajju, Monu Daggar, Aman Gappu, Arjit, Splendor Singh and Randheer.

Investigators believe that Mau and Ajju are the prime accused in the case, who had earlier tried to kill Jeetu in 2019 when he was released on bail in a kidnapping case, but he had survived the attack after treatment at PGIMER.

“Jeetu had also attacked Mau’s gang members in 2017-18 and this murder is a result of ego clash. Both the parties have a criminal background of kidnapping, scuffle and other crimes. Shooters were out on bail too,” said one of the investigating officers, pleading anonymity.

In another gang war between Bhupi Rana and Lawrence Bishnoi, blood was spilt on the streets of Ambala on March 25 as two men were shot dead and two were seriously injured. The shooters are still at large.