Gangster Neeraj Bawana’s close aide shot dead in north Delhi’s Alipur

The incident was captured on a CCTV, and clips of the footage were widely shared on the social media on Friday.

New Delhi: A 38-year-old alleged gangster, a relative of ganglord Neeraj Bawana, was shot dead by three men in outer north Delhi’s Alipur late on Thursday night, police said. The incident was captured on a CCTV, and clips of the footage were widely shared on the social media on Friday.

Police said that three back-to-back PCR calls were received at the Alipur police station on Thursday around 10.44pm about a shootout. (Picture for representation only)

Police said that the victim, Pramod Kumar, was a resident of Hiranki village in northwest Delhi. According to officers associated with the investigation, Kumar was married in Bawana’s family, and became a close associate of the top gangster. They said cases under sections of attempt to murder and Arms Act were registered against Kumar.

Police said that three back-to-back PCR calls were received at the Alipur police station on Thursday around 10.44pm about a shootout. “As soon as we received this call, the local police rushed to the spot. Some people at the crime scene told them that some people on a bike fired at Kumar several times, and that he has been taken to the Max Hospital in Haiderpur. Doctors at the hospital told the police that Kumar was declared dead on arrival,” said Brijendra Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer north).

The DCP said nine empty cartridges were found at the crime scene.

A second investigator said of late, Pramod usually stayed home in Alipur and did not move out often. On Thursday, he was walking near his house with one of his friend,when three people on a bike stopped near them, and as shown in the CCTV footage, opened fired at Kumar from a close range, the officer said. His friend, meanwhile, ran away, he added.

The footage shows that Kumar attempted to run, but came under a hail of fire. Police said more than a dozen shots were fired at Kumar, of which only one bullet missed the target.The masked assailants then got away on the bike.

Police said that they have formed several teams, and are looking for the suspects.

When asked if Kumar’s murder was the result of a gang war, a police officer who asked not to be named said, “There is no specific reason why he was targeted at this particular time. He may have been on the target list for as long as he is associated with Neeraj Bawana.”

Bawana is among Delhi’s top gangsters, and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. He runs a wide network of extortion and contract killings. He leads a gang of over 100 members, many of whom are lodged in different jails in Delhi.

Police said Kumar was arrested by the Special Cell for his involvement in the escape of another dreaded criminal, Bhura, from police custody in a local court at UP’s Baghpat.

Bhura and his aides escaped after snatching two AK-47 rifles and a self loading rifle from the police team.

In 2019, Kumar was also booked for firing outside the house of his rival Pravesh in northwest Delhi.