Shots fired at west Delhi sweet shop, no casualty

The incident took place at Singla’s Sweets Bakery and Restaurant at Tilak Nagar at 11.15pm when over 20 people, including children and 10 staffers, were present inside the shop

Two masked, unidentified assailants fired four to five bullets at a popular sweet shop at Tilak Nagar in west Delhi late on Friday night. No injuries have been reported and no arrests have been made in this connection yet, the Delhi Police said on Saturday.

Initial investigation revealed that two persons came on a bike, fired bullets at the front glass of the shop and fled. (Representational image)

The incident took place at Singla’s Sweets Bakery and Restaurant at Tilak Nagar in central market at 11.15pm when over 20 people, including children and 10 staffers, were present inside the shop. As the assailants opened fire, the front glass of the shop was shattered, spreading panic among those who were present. Some ducked under tables and others ran inside to save themselves, eyewitnesses said.

A senior police officer said that on July 31, a complaint was received from the sweet shop owner after he allegedly got a death threat from the Kapil Nandu gang. “The blackmailers claimed that they belong to the Kapil Nandu gang and demanded ₹2 crore,” he added.

Officers of Tilak Nagar police station said that they were on a routine patrol in the main market area when they heard multiple gun shots. Officers from the district’s crime team and operations unit quickly responded and secured the scene, they added.

“Some unknown people fired bullets at Singlas sweet shop. A first information report has been registered in this connection. Initial investigation revealed that two persons came on a bike, fired bullets at the front glass of the shop and fled. We recovered four empty cartridges at the spot. There was no casualty,” said Vichitra Veer, DCP (west).

A shop employee requesting anonymity said, “We were about to close the shop and were packing orders for a few families. All of a sudden, we heard a gunshot and panicked. The second bullet shattered the glass in front of me. Everyone started screaming and running around. The firing stopped within five minutes and nobody was injured.”

The visitors and staffers also recorded videos of the incident from inside the shop that purportedly showed the shattered glass pieces and people inside the eatery.

In Tilak Nagar, extortion by local gangsters has led to several such incidents. In May and June, multiple firing incidents were reported in Tilak Nagar and its neighbouring areas. Police said most of the incidents took place in car showrooms. The car dealers have alleged that they were receiving threats and calls by fugitive gangster Bhau.

In one of the incidents, the accused had fired multiple bullets and left a note demanding ₹5 crore from a car dealer.

In another incident in June, two men entered a Burger King outlet at Rajouri Garden in west Delhi and fired over 10 rounds, killing one man. Police said it was Bhau’s men who killed the man.