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Gangster shot at near Sonepat court, in critical state
Dreaded gangster Ajay alias Bittu was shot at outside the Sonepat court by a police personnel, who was escorting him on Thursday
Dreaded gangster Ajay alias Bittu was shot at outside the Sonepat court by a police personnel, who was escorting him on Thursday.
As per information, the gangster, who is booked in 12 cases, including six murders, was allegedly shot at by a cop, identified as Mahesh, outside the Sonepat court complex in a police van.
Ajay was rushed to Sonepat civil hospital from where he was referred to Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS).
PGIMS spokesman Gajender Singh said that Ajay had received bullet injuries in the head and a team of doctors are treating him.
“The patient is critical. We are making all attempts to save his life,” the spokesman added.
An official of Sunaria jail in Rohtak, told HT over phone that the gangster was taken from the jail to Sonepat court to be produced in a case at around 9am on Thursday.
“The gangster was lodged at Rohtak jail since March, 2020,” the official, pleading anonymity, said.
Gangster’s father killed by 8-10 assailants
Later, Ajay’s father Krishan Kumar was shot dead allegedly by a group of 8-10 assailants who had barged into his house in Sonepat’s Barona village.
In her complaint to the police, the gangster’s mother Anita Devi said that she and her husband were sitting in their house on Thursday afternoon.
“A man asked my husband to open the door. When he did so, one of the assailants fired shots at him. When my husband ran towards a room, a group of 8-10 men carrying weapons chased him and pumped bullets into his chest, stomach and other parts of the body. My husband died on the spot,” she said.
“We had old-rivalry with Munia of our village, Naresh, Sonu Malik, Jasbir, Ramesh Pahalwan of Ganaur, Haryana police personnel Mahesh and nearly 19 other persons. Three months ago, Mahesh and Sonu had threatened me of dire consequences,” she added.
‘Accused cop booked for attempt to murder’
Sonepat superintendent of police (SP) Jashandeep Randhawa said a cop, identified as Mahesh, posted at Rohtak, had fired three shots at gangster Ajay when the criminal was sitting in police van after appearing before a court in connection with a weapon recover case.
“Mahesh was escorting the criminal from Rohtak to Sonepat. The accused cop was arrested by his fellow cops on the spot. Later, Ajay’s father was shot dead by some assailants. We have registered two separate FIRs. Mahesh has been booked for attempt to murder and more than a dozen people are booked on murder charges at the Kharkoda police station. We are probing why Mahesh attacked the gangster,” the SP added.
‘Gangster was threatening the cop’
The gangster was arrested by the anti-vehicle theft team of Rohtak police after a brief exchange of fires in 2018. He is a sharp shooter of the Sandeep Badwasni gang and was heading the gang after his boss’s murder.
Jail authorities had recovered three mobile phones from him when he was lodged at Faridabad jail, said a senior jail official.
A senior official of the Sonepat police, pleading anonymity, said that Mahesh had fired shots at the gangster as the latter was threatening the cop and his relatives.
“During questioning, Mahesh said the gangster had borrowed ₹15 lakh from one of his friends. When Mahesh and his friend asked Ajay to return the amount, the gangster threatened them of dire consequences,” police said.
“We are not ruling out rivalry angle and Mahesh’s association with the rival gang,” police added.
