Poising a serious threat to law and order situation, the national capital witnessed three separate firing incidents linked to escalating extortion bids by notorious gangs in the last 24 hours with the shooters attacking a luxury car showroom, a hotel, and a sweet shop. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in any of the incidents.
While some unidentified shooters targeted a hotel at south Delhi’s Mahilpalpur area early Saturday, some assailants opened fire at a sweets shop in Sultanpur Mor in Nangloi later.
According to a police officer, around 9.30 am on Saturday, two men with their faces covered came on a bike and opened three to four rounds of fire at ‘Roshan Halwai’. No one was injured in the incident but there were some shattered glasses in the shop, the officer said.
Police suspect the shooting was related to protection money of some gangsters. After the firing at the sweets shop, a note with “Deepak Boxer Bhai, Ankesh Lakra Bhai and Vishal Bhai” --the names of gangsters -- written on it, police said. CCTV footage has been collected and a probe was underway, they said.
Earlier around 2.30 am, two men came on a motorcycle and fired around five to six bullets at the main entrance gate of Impress Hotel in south Delhi. No one was injured in the incident but some glasses were damaged, police said. Hotel staff and some guests were present in their rooms when the incident took place. Police has initiated a probe into the case.
The hotel’s receptionist, Khalida said that she was not present during the firing as her shift started in the morning. She added, “They did not target anyone but they opened fire at the gate. Five to six rounds were fired they and fled,” Khalida said.
This attack is also believed to be part of an extortion attempt to take over the hotel. Last year, the hotel owner had been threatened by a man claiming to be connected to Canada-based gangster Goldie Brar. Brar, along with Lawrence Bishnoi - currently in custody in Gujarat-has been linked to previous high-profile extortion cases, including a shooting outside actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai residence.
On Friday night, three men opened fire at a second hand luxury car show room called Car Street Mini in southwest Delhi’s Naraina, situated just a kilometre away from the Naraina police station. In this case also, no one was injured but the attackers targeted the cars in the showroom. Witnesses reported hearing at least 20 rounds being fired by three men, causing widespread panic.
The shooters fled the scene after damaging four luxury cars - two BMWs, a Mercedes, and a Mini Cooper. They also snatched the phone of a salesman and tossed it 100 meters away from the showroom. A slip reading “Bhau Gang, Since 2020” was found at the site, referencing the notorious gangster Himanshu Bhau, who fled to Portugal in 2022 and is suspected of orchestrating extortion attempts from abroad. The gangster has demanded Rs 5 crore from the owner of the car showroom as protection money, they said.
According to police, the assailants fired more than two dozen bullets inside and outside the showroom. In a purported CCTV footage of the incident which was surfaced on social media on Saturday, three men are seen firing at the cars in the showroom. In the video, a shooter is also seen pointing his gun at a customer and employee sitting inside the showroom. In a similar attack in May, the Fusion Cars showroom in Tilak Nagar was targeted, and Rs 5 crore was reportedly demanded by the Bhau Gang. The gang is primarily involved in extortion, demanding large sums of money from business owners in exchange for protection. Police have identified the three suspects involved in the Naraina shooting and have registered a case.
