Gang war inside Capital courtroom leaves 3 dead
NEW DELHI: Gunmen dressed as lawyers killed notorious gangster Jitender Maan, alias Gogi, in a shocking and sensational shooting inside a courtroom in Delhi’s Rohini before police shot dead the two assailants.
At least three dozen rounds were fired by the shooters and the police team that responded.
Eyewitnesses said the judge Gagandeep Singh was seated when the shooting began in front of him. The judge and roughly a dozen others in the courtroom escaped unhurt, and the police said that the casualties were limited to the trio, but a few eyewitnesses said that one woman was injured by shrapnel.
Pranav Tayal, the deputy commissioner of police (Rohini) said the three men – Gogi and the assailants – succumbed to the gunshot wounds at the crime scene.
“As Gogi was hit, the Delhi Police staff present there on escort and other duties responded in a controlled, calibrated manner and in the counter fire, both the assailants received gunshot wounds and were immobilised,” Tayal said.
The shooters are alleged to be members of the gang led by his friend-turned-rival Sunil Maan, better known as Tillu Tajpuriya. The two shooters, identified by police as Rahul Tyagi and Jagdeep (also known as Jagga), were focussed on shooting Gogi instead of the police team that shot them dead, witnesses said.
People present at the court complex said premises was full of police, which made the attack a significant security lapse. “There were at least 30 police personnel, in uniform and plainclothes, in and outside this courtroom. It appeared the attackers knew there was no escape after the killing,” said RK Jha, an eyewitness lawyer.
Once close friends, Gogi and Tajpuriya turned bitter foes as they rose through the world of crime. For the last decade, both of them ran rival extortion gangs targeting people in outer Delhi and parts of Haryana.
Their rivalry has erupted in gunfights, and at least 10 of their associates have died in the past.
Police said Gogi managed to escape from police custody while being produced in a court in Haryana in 2016, and stepped up his rivalry against Tajpuriya before being arrested by the Delhi Police’s special cell last year.
The most wanted criminal in Delhi until his arrest, Gogi was accused of being involved in over 30 crimes spanning murder, attempt to murder, extortion, possession of illegal arms, carjacking and land grabbing.
In March this year, Gogi’s associate Kuldeep Maan, also known Fajja, escaped police custody while being taken to GTB Hospital for treatment.
Fajja was eventually gunned down by police in Rohini, and a number of police personnel accompanying Gogi to court was increased.
On Friday, a jail van with 10 police personnel from the Third Battalion and Gogi left Tihar Jail around 10.45am and reached the court in 45 minutes. He was placed in the lock-up while his documentation process was carried out.