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Delhi: Sweet shops, car showroom receive extortion calls; police launch probe
Three cases of firing were reported over two days in Delhi. After a luxury car showroom and a hotel, armed men targeted a sweet shop in Nangloi.
Two instances of firing by armed gangs were reported in Delhi, hours after another firing targeted a second-hand luxury car showroom in the national capital.
A gang of unidentified shooters targeted a hotel in south Delhi's Mahipalpur area during early hours on Saturday. Around 2.30 am, two men came on a motorcycle and fired around five to six bullets at the main entrance gate of Impress Hotel in south Delhi.
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The hotel staff and other guests were present during the shooting, but a receptionist told PTI that five to six rounds were fired before the gang fled. “They did not target anyone, but they opened fire at the gate,” she added. Police have initiated probe into the case.
Hours later, a set of unidentified assailants opened fire at a sweets shop in Sultanpur Mor in Nangloi. Around 9.30 am, two bike borne armed men, with their faces masked, fired three to four rounds of fire at 'Roshan Halwai' and left glasses shattered. A note with names “Deepak Boxer Bhai, Ankesh Lakra Bhai and Vishal Bhai”, was found after firing. Police suspect the shooting was related to a dispute over ‘protection’ money being paid to some gangsters. Police have recovered CCTV footage from the area and further probe is underway.
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Earlier on Friday, three armed men opened fire at cars belonging to a second-hand luxury car showroom in Naraina in West Delhi. Police believe the firing to be a case of extortion as a note reading "Himanshu bhai since 2020" was recovered from the spot. The gangster has reportedly demanded ₹5 crore as ‘protection money’ from the showroom owner.
In a CCTV footage circulating on social media, three men could be seen firing at cars inside the showroom. A shooter is also seen pointing his gun at a customer and an employee. More than two dozen bullets were fired both inside and outside of the premises, police said.
No injuries have been reported so far from these firing cases, but police sources told PTI that three back-to-back firing incidents raise disturbing questions on law and order in the national capital. Over past few months, cases of extortion calls and shooting on the direction of foreign based gangsters continue to trouble Delhi's businessmen, sources added.
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What statistics say?
According to PTI, Delhi Police's recent statistics reveal a total of 133 extortion cases being reported from across the national capital this year, till August 15.
A total of 141 such cases were reported in the same period last year. At least 110 extortion cases were registered in the corresponding period in 2022. At least 204 cases of extortion were reported throughout 2023 and 187 in 2022, according to the statistics.
Police said eleven gangs involved in extortion and threatening of businessmen, shooting and targeted killings have been identified across the National Capital Region over last few months. Delhi police commissioner has directed the officials to curb the activities of these gangs by invoking the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and other stringent local laws wherever applicable.
