Suspects latched jail cells in Delhi’s Tihar before attacking Tajpuria

According to the statement mentioned in the FIR, Tillu rushed to Rohit’s cell soon after he saw his four rivals rushing towards him, and asked Rohit to help him close the gate of the cell

Before spotting jailed gangster Sunil Baliyan alias Tillu Tajpuria roaming around in the corridor of ward number 5 at Tihar jail number 8&9, and launching an incessant fatal knife attack on him, the four alleged attackers from his rival Gogi gang latched some of the ground floor cells of A-block from outside to ensure that other inmates do not intervene, Rohit alias Rahul -- the main witness in the murder case -- has told the police in his statement that was converted into the first information report (FIR).

A videograb of ward number 5 of Tihar jail number 8 and 9 on Tuesday. (Sourced)

HT has a copy of the FIR.

Rohit, 31, was also attacked and stabbed by the four assailants – Deepak Dabas alias Titar, Rajesh Bawania alias Karambir, Yogesh alias Tunda and Riyaz Khan – who murdered Tajpuria, according to jail officials.

According to the statement mentioned in the FIR, Tillu rushed to Rohit’s cell soon after he saw his four rivals rushing towards him, and asked Rohit to help him close the gate of the cell. The two held the gate from inside since there is no latch inside.

Titar and Tunda tried to open the gate using force. When they could not, they started stabbing Tillu and Rohit from outside. Soon, Khan also reached there and told Tillu, “aaj tera kaam hi khatm kar denge (We will kill you today)”, the FIR said.

According to his statement to the police, Rohit said that he was lodged in cell number AC-7 of A-block in ward number 5 of the central jail number 8, and Tillu was his neighbour in cell number AC-8.

“In the B-block (on the first floor) of the same ward lived Deepak Dabas alias Titar, Rajesh Bawania alias Karambir, Yogesh alias Tunda and Riyaz Khan, who were allegedly looking for an opportunity to avenge the murder of their slain boss Jitender Maan alias Gogi,” Rohit said in his statement.

On May 2 (Tuesday) around 6 am, the morning counting of prisoners by jail staffers had begun and all inmates were in the barracks. Tillu was walking in the corridor while Rohit was inside his cell. Suddenly, Tillu came running inside Rohit’s cell and told him to close the gate immediately because they (the four rivals) are coming to kill him with knives, the statement mentioned in the FIR said.

Rohit told the police that he got up and tried to close the gate with Tillu. Tunda and Titar arrived tried to push open the gate. As Tillu and Rohit did not lose their grip, Titar and Tunda started stabbing them. Their two associates – Bawania and Khan – arrived there with knives, threatened Rohit to step aside and stabbed him in his hands to force open the gate, the FIR said.

“The four inmates barged into the cell, stabbed Tillu, and dragged him outside, where they incessantly attacked him with knives. When Tillu tried to save himself, Tunda pinned him down on the floor and asked Titar and Khan to finish him. Titar, Khan and Tunda repeatedly stabbed Tillu in his neck, chest and abdomen. Some inmates and I tried to save Tillu, but Bawania pointed knives at us and threatened to kill us. After some time, the jail staff arrived and removed them with difficulty,” Rohit has said in the statement.

Tillu and Rohit were rushed to Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) hospital after preliminary medical attention at the hospital’s dispensary. Tillu succumbed to his nearly 150 stab wounds at the hospital. Rohit was sent back to the jail after medical attention.

According to a jail official, there are eight cells on the ground floor, where Tillu and Rohit were lodged. None of the cells can be latched or locked from inside. Also, there was no iron grill installed on the ground floor, unlike the first floor, to separate the two levels.

“Prime facie, it appears that the iron bars were rusting. The four alleged attackers had prepared four improvised knives and an ice pick. They pried open a hole in the iron bars bit by bit using the ice pick over the past few days, to avoid being noticed,” said a jail official, who asked not to be named.

A case of murder, attempt to murder and common intention was registered under Indian Penal Code’s sections 302, 307 and 34 at the Hari Nagar police station against the four alleged attackers.

“We will arrest and interrogate the four inmates after seeking permission from the metropolitan magistrate. They will be interrogated to ascertain for how long they were planning Tillu’s killing and who else were involved. The source of the improvised weapons will also be ascertained,” said a senior police officer, privy to the probe.