Gambling dues triggered recent gang war at Najafgarh

New Delhi: Ten days after a gang war at Najafgarh cost two lives, the crime branch has arrested one of the prime shooters who has revealed that the plot was hatched and executed by absconding gangster Manjit Mahal. The revelation has made police shift its focus to the murders being a fallout of gambling payouts and dues, sources said.
A dispute over money had snowballed into a bloody gang war in west Delhi's Najafgarh, triggering two shootings within three hours that had left two men, including a former policeman, dead and two women battling for life.Retired head constable Hari Kishan (60) was killed by assailants who came looking for his son and left after firing at him, his wife and daughter-in-law. Kishan's wife, despite being shot thrice, crawled to a neighbour's house to seek help, police said.
"The arrested man has been identified as Dharmender alias Madu (23). A sophisticated pistol and two live cartridges were recovered from him. A team led by ACP K P S Malhotra received a tip-off that Dharmender would come to Sector 17 in Dwarka to meet an associate. Sleuths of the interstate cell laid a trap and nabbed the suspect after an informer identified him," said joint commissioner (crime) Ravindra Yadav.
Dharmender revealed that on the day of the incident, Mahal, Pradip Solanki and Ashok Mitraon were drinking on a plot belonging to Nafe Singh alias Mantri around 9pm. Mantri had to pay Rs 2 lakh to one Surajbhan which his aide had lost in betting. Surajbhan had sent some men to Mantri's house but he had dodged them. The men left after threatening his father. At the party, Mantri plotted to take revenge. Mahal also told Mantri that Surajbhan owed him Rs 5 lakh, said sources.
"Mahal called him up and demanded money. Surajbhan, a bookie, was drinking with an associate at his office. Mahal and his associates then decided to bump him off. At 10.30pm, Mahal, Mantri, Solanki and Dharmender reached the office located in the Deenpur area and opened indiscriminate fire. Sunil, the associate, died on the spot while Surajbhan escaped. In the shooting spree, Mantri too got hit by a bullet and is recovering," Yadav added.
Around 1.30am, relatives and associates of Sunil-the relative of notorious criminal Jyoti-reached Mantri's house for revenge. Not finding him, the gang, led by Kapil alias Nandu, shot at his father Kishan, wife and mother. Police are still looking for Mahal, Solanki, Nandu and a few others involved in the conspiracy.