Double murder convict held after gunfight in Rohini

Robin, a 40-year-old gang member convicted in two murders, was arrested after a shootout in Rohini. He had been a proclaimed offender since last month.

A 40-year-old key member of the Tillu Tajpuria–Kaushal Chaudhary gang, convicted in two murder cases — the first in 2008 and the second in 2015 while out on parole — was arrested by the Special Cell after a brief exchange of fire near Barwala Chowk in Rohini Sector 36 late Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.

During interrogation, Robin disclosed that he had developed close links with jailed members of the gang while in prison. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Both murders were linked. The accused, identified as Robin alias Babloo, first shot dead a man in 2008 who was sheltering his girlfriend and opposed their relationship. In 2015, while on parole, Robin shot dead the girlfriend’s brother, who was a key witness against him in the 2008 case. He was arrested, convicted in both cases and awarded life sentences, police officers aware of the matter said.

Robin was also sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment under the Explosive Substances Act for carrying a hand grenade in 2015. He was declared a proclaimed offender (PO) last month by a Delhi court after failing to return to jail following parole in April last year, said deputy commissioner of police (Special Cell) Naara Chaitanya.

On Tuesday, the DCP said, the Special Cell’s southwestern range received information that Robin, a resident of Sonepat in Haryana, would meet associates near Barwala Chowk in Rohini Sector 36. A trap was laid accordingly.

“Around 10.25pm, the raiding team spotted Robin riding a Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle. They asked him to surrender, but he opened fire at the police. The police retaliated and Robin sustained a gunshot wound to his right leg. He was apprehended and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment,” said DCP Chaitanya.

During interrogation, Robin disclosed that he had developed close links with jailed members of the gang while in prison. After his release on parole in 2015, he jumped parole and got in touch with handlers operating from abroad through an encrypted application.

“On the directions of his foreign-based handlers, Robin was arranging weapons to target rival gang members. He has been found involved in six cases. One pistol with three cartridges and the Pulsar motorcycle were recovered from him,” Chaitanya added.