Gunshots ring out in Delhi's Rohini; known gangster among 3 nabbed

New Delhi, Sep 20 (PTI) Gunshots shattered the early morning calm of a residential area in Rohini's Sector 24 on Saturday, when police had a face-off with some local gangsters, three of whom were eventually arrested.

The confrontation took place while the gangsters were plotting to fire at the house of a gau raksha dal member, they said.

Lallu alias Ashroo, 23, a resident of Mangeram Park and a known associate of the Gogi gang, and his close aide, Irfan, 21, received gunshot wounds in the encounter.

Two of the group managed to flee by scaling a wall near Rithala's Ganda Nala, an officer said.

Police said the five men were planning to attack a gau raksha dal functionary, who had recently convened a 'Maha Sabha' after three people were allegedly thrashed by Lallu and his associates.

"The attack was reportedly linked to a 'mahasabha' called by the community on September 20, following the alleged assault of three persons, Gourav Solanki, Chahat, and Yogesh, by Lallu and his associates a few days earlier," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rajeev Ranjan said.

Lallu also circulated a video of the assault on social media to show off his link with the Gogi gang, he said.

The confrontation took place around 2.40 am, when police intercepted a white car near the Bankey Bihari Temple in Sector 24, a police statement said.

When they were signalled to stop, the alleged criminals rammed their vehicle into the team's car and fired several rounds at police.

Police retaliated and shot Lallu and Irfan in the legs.

Both were taken to a hospital and are stable, police said.

During the entire operation, police fired six rounds, while the accused fired about seven.

The third to be apprehended from the spot was Nitesh, 30, a Mathura native.

Two sophisticated pistols and a country-made firearm were recovered from the three arrested.

According to police, Lallu, who also runs his own 'Nassroo gang', named after his jailed brother, is involved in five cases, including two of attempted murder and two robberies.

Irfan, also from Mangeram Park, is facing two attempted murder cases, while Nitesh has a history of involvement in cheating cases, police said. PTI SSJ VN VN