Four persons were killed and five others were injured in a gang war between the members of the notorious Cheenu Pandit and Sunil Rathi gangs outside the Roorkee jail on Tuesday evening. “Four of the injured were referred to Jolly Grant medical college, Dehradun,” said Haridwar SSP Sadanand Date while talking to The Pioneer over phone.
Sources said that this incident would exacerbate the gang war further in Haridwar as some of the accused managed to flee.
Police said that a large number of people had gathered at the Jail premises to receive Cheenu Pandit, who was supposed to be released on Tuesday. However, as Pandit came out of the jail, some persons — supposedly members of the rival gang — who were waiting outside the jail in a car started firing at him. Cheenu managed to save himself by scampering back inside the jail.
In the firing spree, Cheenu’s brother Monu Pandit alias Tarun Tyagi, who came to receive him and two others, including Raman Marwah and lokendra, died on the spot. Meanwhile, Haridwar SSP Sadanand Date took stock of the security status of the jail. The security of the Haridwar Jail has been beefed up after the incident. During the investigation, police seized a mobile phone from the car. Police said that the car belongs to a Delhi-based advocate.
Interestingly, Sunil Rathi, an accused in several murder cases, is currently languishing in Roorkee jail. Notably, a similar incident took place two years back, resulting in the death of a Roorkee jailer.