In a bloody gang war, two members of the notorious extortionist Neetu Dabodia gang were killed by the rival Neeraj Bawania gang while being taken to Tihar Jail from Rohini court on Tuesday.
Shockingly, the rival gang members were put inside the same jail van and the fight began on the way from Rohini court to Tihar Jail. By the time the jail van was brought to a halt, two members of the Neetu Dabodia gang had already been lynched by the Bawania gang.
Neeraj Bawania, one of Delhi’s most-wanted criminals was also inside the jail van and he led the attack on Paras who headed the Neetu Dabodia gang and his associate Pradeep. The murderous attack appears to be a pre-meditated one and Neeraj Bawania and his seven associates targeted Paras, who was a dreaded sharp shooter, and Pradeep.
The incident comes close on the heels of the gang war between Raju Rao and Deepak Pandit that had resulted in the murder of Raju Rao in Greater Kailash area on Saturday night.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that there was prima facie negligence on part of the officials of Delhi Police’s 3rd battalion entrusted with the task of ferrying prisoners from Tihar prisons to various city courts. The responsibility to take prisoners to the court and then back rests with Delhi Police. However, Delhi Police officers claimed that the responsibility to segregate prisoners from the rival gangs lies with Tihar administration and they should have applied due diligence in indentifying the warring gang members.
According to information, seven Bawania gang members including Neeraj Bawania and two people, Paras and Pradeep from the Neetu Dabodia gang, were taken to Rohini court in connection with the hearing in their respective cases in the same van. The bloodbath in the Delhi Police van started when it reached Pushpanjali in Mangolpuri area at around 4.30 pm. “As the van reached Puspanjali in Mangolpuri, a few inmates started fighting with each other. By the time the driver of the van could stop the vehicle and get control over them, two inmates were already dead while five others were injured in the clash,” said a police officer.
Paras alias Goldi, a sharpshooter of the Neetu Dabodia gang, and his associate Pradeep alias Bhola, both in their early 30s, were killed in the scuffle. “At the time of the attack, the inmates were being taken back to Tihar Jail from the Rohini court,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikramjit Singh.
It is also said that Paras was heading the gang after the death of Dabodia. Police said that Paras and Pradeep were killed by Neeraj Bawania gang as they pinned them down on the bus floor and then trampled them repeatedly by jumping on their neck and throats. Paras and Pradeep fought tooth and nail to save themselves but were outnumbered by the rival gang members who were hell bent to eliminate them. Neeraj Bawania and five of his cohorts sustained minor injuries. All the injured have been admitted to Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital where there condition is stated to be out of danger.
Police said the clash was the offshoot of the rivalry between both the gangs. Their members, who are out of jail, often indulge in clashes. According to the Delhi Police officials, it was the responsibility of Tihar jail to check the members of the rival group to travel in the same vehicle.
Meanwhile, a Tihar Jail official, who did not wish to be named claims that the Delhi policemen should took them in separate vehicles. The Delhi policemen posted with the third battalion ferries the prisoners to court for hearing.
It would be interesting to mention here that Neetu Dabodia and Neeraj Bawania gangs have been sworn enemies and there was no love lost between the two. Both the gangs figured in the most wanted list of the Delhi Police. It may be recalled that Neetu Dabodia was killed in an encounter by the Delhi Police special cell in 2012. Neeraj Bawania is in Tihar jail who was arrested by the Special Cell in March this year. Both the gangs are said to be rivals in extortion business in the outer, west and west Delhi.