E-Paper
Man, friend held for attempting to kill murder convict who killed his uncle 27 years ago
New Delhi:
A 19-year-old man has been arrested with his associate for allegedly attempting to kill a 50-year-old man, who had “brutally killed” his uncle in the presence of police and public in north Delhi 27 years ago, police said on Monday.
The man, identified as Kunal Soni, is a professional wrestler and had participated in a few junior wrestling championships, the police said.
Soni was born nearly eight years after his uncle’s murder. The accused, Pawan (single name), was caught from the crime scene and convicted for life by a Delhi court in 1998. He had come out of jail on parole in March this year.
Soni and his associate Naveen alias Aniket, 22, allegedly fired at Pawan to take revenge for his uncle’s murder and for the “constant bullying” he and his family members had been facing from him ever since he was released on parole, deputy commissioner of police (north) Monika Bhardwaj said.
On Sunday, DCP Bhardwaj said Pawan was along with his friends – Sompal and Laxman – was at Gali Church Wali in Sadar Bazar. Around 5.30 pm, two bike-borne men arrived and fired at Pawan. The bullet grazed his neck and hit Laxman in his abdomen. The attackers fled the crime scene, leaving behind the two injured men, who were admitted to a nearby hospital. The two got medical attention and their condition is out of danger, the police said.
“We registered a case of attempt to murder and common intention on Pawan’s complaint and teams were formed to identify and nab the attackers. Since Pawan had been an accused in three murder cases, one attempt to murder and many other bodily offences, it was difficult to ascertain which rival was involved in the attack,” said Bhardwaj.
During the probe, the investigating teams activated their human intelligence network and it helped them zero in on Kunal Soni, whose uncle was murdered by Pawan in 1993. Soni was missing from his home. However, his hideouts were raided and he was caught on Monday along with a countrymade pistol from north Delhi. His interrogation led to the arrest of his associate, Naveen, said a police officer, associated with the case.
“Soni told us Pawan had been bullying him and his family members since he came out on parole. He had heard about his uncle’s murder by Pawan over a rivalry. Soni’s uncle had assaulted Pawan in 1990. Pawan took revenge three years later by killing him in front of some policemen, who had to shoot him to disarm him,” the officer added.