In Delhi, bus conductor gunned down in fight over poaching of passengers

A 23-year-old bus conductor was shot six times by three men on motorcycles. He died before he could be taken to a hospital.

A private bus conductor was shot dead outside his home in outer Delhi’s Jharoda Kalan on Sunday night, allegedly following a two-year-long quarrel over picking passengers, police said.

A private bus conductor was shot dead outside his home in outer Delhi, allegedly following a two-year-long quarrel over picking passengers. (HT File Photo/For Representation)

Identified only by his first name, 23-year-old Jitender was shot six times by three men on motorcycles around 11.30 pm. He died before he could be taken to a hospital.

Jitender’s family quoted eyewitnesses as saying that one of the killers first hugged the victim on the street before his associate opened fire.

Santosh Kumar Meena, additional DCP (Dwarka), said one of the suspected killers, 38-year-old Sudhir, was arrested within hours of the murder and two pistols recovered from him.

“We know other two suspects and hope to nab them soon,” Meena said.

Jitender and the arrested man lived in Jharoda Kalan village. Jitender was a conductor with a private bus and Sudhir drove a van. “For the last two years, the duo had been quarrelling over picking passengers from a common stand. Both would accuse each other of poaching their passengers,” said Meena.

Their fights would often turn physical, but others would intervene and separate them. But Sudhir allegedly held a grudge against Jitender.

While leaving, they spotted Jitender on the street.

“People who witnessed the shooting said the killers first shook hands with Jitender. One of them then hugged Jitender before his associate began shooting at him,” said Sunita, Jitender’s sister-in-law.