Probe on whether gangster Prince Tewatia’s murder in Tihar was premeditated

Attaur Rehman alias Atwa, 28, and Vinay Sharma, 23, have been named as prime suspects in the killing. Police said that preliminary investigation found that the fight between Tewatia and Rehman broke out when the latter objected to the former’s alleged abusive language against him

A day after 30-year-old jailed gangster, Prince Tewatia, was stabbed to death in a suspected gang war in Tihar jail, police on Saturday booked two inmates for murder, officers associated with the probe said.

Originally from Loni in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Tewatia was involved in at least 16 serious crimes, including two murders and extortion. He was last arrested in November 2022 from Delhi. (HT PHOTO)

Attaur Rehman alias Atwa, 28, and Vinay Sharma, 23, have been named as prime suspects, the officers said.

While preliminary investigation found that the fight between Tewatia and Rehman broke out when the latter objected to the former’s alleged abusive language against him, police were also probing that the killing might be premeditated, the officers said, wishing not to be named.

Rehman and Sharma, who were also injured in the clash, were in possession of “improvised knives made from iron strips” with which Tewatia was killed, another police officer said, also requesting anonymity. The weapons were recovered, one of the officers said. Police suspect that the weapons might have been prepared inside the jail.

A third injured inmate, identified as Bobby, 22, is an associate of Tewatia, police said.

Though there is no official record, Tewatia used to claim association with Lawrence Bishnoi — the gangster who is the prime suspect in the murder of Punjab Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala. Originally from Loni in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Tewatia was involved in at least 16 serious crimes, including two murders and extortion. He was last arrested in November 2022 from Delhi.

“The handles of the two improvised knives were covered with cloth. That Rehman and Sharma were in possession of the knives and used them to kill Tewatia mean that the killing may have been planned. The murder could have also been executed on the behest of Tewatia’s rivals, including his friend-turned-foe Rohit Chaudhary, a gangster from south Delhi who is also lodged in the Delhi jail,” said a police officer associated with the case.

Police officers said that Rehman and Tewatia were earlier friends and were part of the same gang.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (west) Akshat Kaushal said, “We have registered a case and are probing all possibilities.”

The first information report (FIR) on Saturday was registered on the statement of jail number 3 warder Arun Kumar, who was on duty at ward number 6, when the clash and knife attack took place at around 5.30pm on Friday. HT is in possession of a copy of the FIR.

According to the FIR, Kumar was in the guard room when he heard screams outside. He rushed out and saw Rehman running from a barrack, and Tewatia, Govind alias Noni, Bobby, and Sharma running after him.

“Rehman and Vinay Sharma had knives in their hands. Rehman reached the ward’s gate that was locked. He tried to get out of the ward by scaling its gate but could not climb it. At the same time, Tewatia arrived and caught Rehman. They started quarrelling. During the same time, Rehman started attacking Tewatia with his knife. Tewatia tried to save himself. Rehman overpowered him and Vinay (Sharma) attacked Tewatia with his knife,” the FIR reads.

While the warder intervened, along with other inmates, and snatched the knife from Rehman’s hand, Sharma rushed out with the knife but was caught. Tewatia had collapsed on the ground by then. Bobby was also injured in the fight. The four were rushed to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya hospital, where Tewatia was declared brought dead, according to the FIR. The condition of the other three is stable, police said.

Investigation so far has found that Tewatia suspected Rehman of joining hands with his rival gangster (Chaudhary), and leaked information about his planning to kill him, a second officer said.

“Rehman told Tewatia that he should not trouble him because he did not want any altercation during Ramazan. However, Tewatia provoked him and it led to the scuffle. But, there is also a possibility that Rehman may have provoked Tewatia as part of the murder conspiracy,” the officer said.