History-sheeter gunned down outside Kharkhoda court

Sonipat/Kharkhoda: In a brazen daylight killing outside the Kharkhoda court complex in Sonipat district, a history-sheeter, Neeraj alias Katiya, was shot dead by armed assailants on Saturday, police said. A resident of Dubaldhan village in Jhajjar, Neeraj had come to attend a hearing in a domestic violence case when he was targeted.Investigators said the attackers were lying in wait near the SDM office. As Neeraj exited the court premises in his vehicle, four to five men in an SUV allegedly rammed his car to stop him and opened fire at close range.Police said four to six rounds were fired, with three empty cartridges recovered from the spot. The assailants reportedly aimed at Neeraj's head and face.The attack triggered panic in and around the court complex. Senior police officers rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area. The body was sent for postmortem, while forensic teams began collecting evidence. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being scanned to identify the accused and trace their movements.Kharkhoda ACP Joginder Sharma said, "Four to five persons arrived in a vehicle and opened fire, killing Neeraj alias Katiya. Five teams have been formed, and efforts are on to arrest the accused at the earliest."Police records show that Neeraj had over 25 criminal cases registered against him across Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan, including murder, extortion, kidnapping and Arms Act violations. He was reportedly living in Gurugram's Sector 37C.Sources said he had come to court in connection with a 2019 case filed by his wife, involving allegations of domestic violence, dowry harassment and assault.Investigators suspect the killing could be linked to an old rivalry or gang-related enmity, with the precision of the attack pointing to a premeditated execution.Neeraj had earlier been arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell after an encounter near Qutub Minar Metro Station on March 5, 2023. Police had then claimed he opened fire during an attempt to apprehend him, following which he was overpowered. A semi-automatic pistol and cartridges were allegedly recovered from his possession.