The Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested four people on Wednesday in connection with the attack on BJP leader Brijpal Teotia. However, police said the main accused is still on the run and a massive hunt is on to nab him.
According to police, revenge seems to be the motive behind the attack which has left Teotia critically injured. Police said the four shooters were hired by two cousins from Teotia’s native village to avenge a family member’s killing 17 years ago. Those arrested were identified as Rahul Tyagi (26), Ram Kumar (25), Nishant Singh (25) and Jitendra alias Pope (40). Remaining eight people involved in the crime were yet to be arrested.
Inspector General of Police Meerut Zone Sujeet Pandey told the media conspirators Manish and Manoj, both cousins, hailed from Teotia’s native village Mahrauli under Kavi Nagar Police Station of Ghaziabad. The officer said both hatched the conspiracy to avenge the murder of Manish’s father Suresh Diwan, a Delhi Police Constable killed in 1999 in Shakarpur in Delhi.
Pandey said though Teotia was the main accused and even named in the complaint, the Delhi Police closed the case in 2001 and submitted its final report in the court. Teotia was a Delhi Police constable but was suspended in 1995. He later left the police force.
The IG said both Manish and Manoj had confessed to hire shooters from other States, adding that the seizure of a mobile phone and SIM led to unearthing of the conspiracy. Police said 12 people were involved in the shooting at Teotia.
“We set up 20 teams comprising Special Task Force officers from Noida, Ghaziabad and Meerut to crack the case. An AK-47 rifle, two pistols, mobile phone, SIM, scooty and a sports utility vehicle have been seized in the case,” Pandey said.
On August 11, nearly 100 rounds were fired from automatic weapons at Teotia and his private security guards near Gang Nehar police post under Modi Nagar police station jurisdiction.
Teotia sustained six gunshot injuries. Others injured in the attack were Ram Pal Singh, Ashok Singh, Mohkam Singh Malik, Indra Pal Singh and Vipin. Teotia had contested the 2012 State Assembly elections from Muradnagar seat but lost and was preparing for 2017 polls. He is being treated at Noida’s Fortis Hospital.