After shooting dead meat trader, killer visited hospital to murder his brother

The suspect Arif has reportedly told the police that after killing Salim, they had also visited a private hospital in west Delhi’s Paschim Vihar to try and kill Rahees.

A man named in 43 criminal cases has been arrested for gunning down a meat trader in his car at a traffic junction on the busy Rohtak Road in Punjabi Bagh on July 17.

The meat trader, Salim Qureshi, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne men. His brother Rahees, who was seated next to him in the car, had a narrow escape. (File photo for representation)

The meat trader, Salim Qureshi, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne men. His brother Rahees, who was seated next to him in the car, had a narrow escape.

The suspect Arif has reportedly told the police that after killing Salim, they had also visited a private hospital in west Delhi’s Paschim Vihar to try and kill Rahees. “Rahees escaped as the killers couldn’t find him at the hospital,” said Manishi Chandra, deputy commissioner of police (special cell).

The DCP said Arif was a repeat offender who has six cases of murder against him and has been involved in extortion from illegal slaughterhouses in Ghazipur and Nangloi. He also allegedly runs betting rackets in outer Delhi’s Nangloi and Sultanpuri.

“Rahees wanted to extort money from meat traders too and this was the reason behind the rivalry between Rahees and Arif becoming rivals,” said the DCP.

The trigger for the murder was an incident on June 25 when Arif allegedly attacked Rahees who escaped unhurt and didn’t inform the police, said the DCP. “The same day, Rahees and Saleem, along with their 20 associates, beat up Arif’s relatives at their home,” said the DCP.

Though a police case was registered that day, Arif allegedly decided to avenge the assault on his relatives. “Though his rivalry was with Rahees, he had seen his brother Saleem actively involved in the attack. So, he decided to kill them both,” said the officer.

The local police had identified the two killers from the footage of a CCTV camera installed a few hundred metres from the murder spot. On Sunday, the special cell arrested Arif from Faridabad.