Gym owner shot dead in Haryana’s Hansi
A 25-year-old gym owner and fitness trainer, Kapil Redhu, was shot dead near Fawwara Chowk in Hansi on Thursday morning during an outdoor exercise session with clients, in an attack captured on CCTV. Two motorcycle-borne assailants carried out the shooting. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility via a social media post and an audio message purportedly from gangster Hari Boxer.
At around 5:30 am, Redhu, who ran the Red Gym, was supervising a group of young men and women during their morning warm-up on the steps outside shops near Fawwara Chowk. Two assailants arrived on a motorcycle, reportedly a Hero Splendour. One of them, wearing a helmet or mask, opened fire from close range, pumping around 10 rounds into Redhu in a matter of seconds. Redhu sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including to the head and back, and collapsed on the spot. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
A woman trainee, identified as Shikha, who was warming up nearby, sustained pellet injuries from bullet fragments and was admitted to a private hospital in Hisar. Police said she was not the intended target. The attack sent the other trainees fleeing for cover.
The assailants fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Hours after the murder, a social media post and an audio message surfaced in which a person identifying himself as Hari Boxer of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility. The message stated: “I am Hari Boxer from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The murder of Kapil, the Red Gym operator in Hansi, was carried out by us. I, RD Dhaliwal, Harman Sandhu and Vikram Kadhal take responsibility for it.”
The post said Redhu had been involved in recent shootouts in Shekhpura and Dhani Purnia/Puriya areas and claimed he had ignored prior warnings issued through an associate. It warned that other alleged conspirators would face similar consequences.
Police are verifying the authenticity of the claim and the post. Kapil Redhu, a resident of Dalmwala village in Jind district, had been running his gym in Hansi for nearly three years. He had recently shifted the facility to a new location near Krantikari Chowk and was living in the Shanti Niketan area of the town. He was his parents’ only son, and had had an isolemnised love marriage about a year ago; his wife was reportedly staying with her parents at the time.
Hansi Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar confirmed that the post claiming responsibility is being examined. “The police are probing the case from all angles, including gang rivalry, personal enmity and extortion. The accused will be arrested soon,” he said.
Preliminary investigation has ruled out any domestic dispute as a motive. As per police records, Redhu was facing four criminal cases, including charges related to murder and attempt to murder, registered in 2023 and 2024. These cases are still under investigation.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Vinod Shankar noted that Redhu had been operating the gym for the past three years. Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) teams and forensic experts have visited the scene. CCTV footage from the area, including the viral video of the attack itself, is being analysed to trace the assailants’ movements and possible escape route toward Tosham in Bhiwani district.
Investigators say the manner of the attack suggests the involvement of professional criminals who were familiar with the victim’s daily routine. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has been linked to several high-profile targeted killings in recent years, often claiming responsibility through social media posts and audio messages, with many members reportedly operating from abroad.
The crime scene has been sealed, and a massive search operation has been launched. The police are questioning people associated with Redhu to establish the exact motive behind the killing. Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses, police said.
