Prime accused who shot dead cab driver held after shootout

IN A shootout at North Delhi’s Kotwali, the Delhi Police Sunday arrested the prime accused in the assault and murder of a 36year-old Uber cab driver, Mohd Shakib, in a road rage incident near Red Fort.

The accused, Firoz Billori (36), is a seasoned criminal — police said he was involved in a murder case of a constable in 2014 and a firing case involving another police officer in 2015. In 2014, he was allegedly involved in a murder case in Vivek Vihar — he assaulted a woman while trying to snatch her belongings from an auto-rickshaw, which led to her falling out and dying.

In the present case that took place around midnight last Monday, Billori and a gang of three pickpockets, including a woman, were on the prowl for potential targets near Red Fort when they witnessed an accident between a cab and an erickshaw. As a crowd gathered around, the thieves sensed an opportunity to make a quick buck.

While the woman stood at a distance, the men nicked some money from the e-rickshaw driver’s pocket and then stole Shakib’s phone and wallet as he inspected the damage to his vehicle. The latter, however, caught on to them and a scuffle broke out. Over the next 20 minutes, the thieves assaulted and stabbed Shakib before Billori allegedly shot him dead.

Since then, police said Billori was on the run; his accomplices were arrested earlier this week.

DCP (North) Manoj Meena said that on April 21, they received information regarding Billori’s whereabouts and a police team was sent to Wazirabad.

“When he was asked to surrender, he opened fire at the police party and shot at the bulletproof jacket of sub-inspector Rohit... the police team retaliated in self-defence. The accused sustained an injury to his left leg during the crossfire and was immediately shifted to Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital for medical care.”

Police said a case of attempt to murder (under the IPC) and under sections of the Arms Act has been lodged at Wazirabad police station against Billori for firing at the policeman.

Rap sheet

According to police records, Billori, a resident of Nasbandi Colony in Loni, started committing crimes in 2008 and has been arrested 11 times in cases including three murders and several armed robberies. He is involved in 10 criminal cases each in UP and Delhi. An officer said that most of the cases are currently under trial.

“The accused is a habitual offender who doesn’t hesitate to open fire in a bid to escape,” said the DCP.

In 2014, he was arrested in an encounter along with his associate, Firoz Fauzi — the latter was gunned down — in connection with the murder of a Delhi Police constable. Billori and Fauzi were intercepted by the constable, Shivraj Tomar, posted at Jafrabad police station, when they were heading to meet their accomplices in Jyoti Nagar.

A senior officer said, “After a scuffle with the officer, Fauzi shot at the constable who later died.”

Billori is also involved in firing at a police officer, posted at Sonia Vihar police station, in 2015 during a shootout, according to his dossier.

The cab driver, Mohd Shakib, was assaulted and shot dead last Monday