One of Delhi’s most wanted gangsters Rajesh Bharti, kingpin of notorious “Kranti” gang, who figured among the top 10 criminals wanted by the law and carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh each declared by Delhi and Haryana police on his head, was gunned down by a team of Special Cell on Saturday morning in a fierce gun battle that lasted for half an hour in south Delhi’s Chhatarpur.
Three of his accomplices, who were travelling with him, also got killed in the encounter that ensued while the fifth gangster got injured. The enormity of the exchange of fire could be judged by the fact that eight police personnel of the anti-terrorist unit were also injured. More than 100 rounds were fired by the gang members and the Delhi Police's Special Cell in the shoot-out, they said.
The condition of two policemen is said to be critical and they have been admitted in the Fortis Hospital. The lone gang member and four police personnel have been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma centre. Two policemen who received injuries were released after giving first aid.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Special Cell Pramod Singh Kushwah said, “There was a specific intelligence input about the movement of notorious outlaw Rajesh Bharti, involved in over 25 cases of carjacking, kidnapping robberies and extortion. A team was put on the job and started monitoring the movement of Bharti and his gang members”.
“They were spotted in Fatehpur Beri’s Chanan Hola village, near Chhatarpur on Saturday morning. A team of Special Cell was tailing the notorious gangster and his cohorts for the last two months and information was being gathered about him and other members of his gang. They were spotted frequenting a particular farmhouse in Chhatarpur area and a watch was mounted in and around the area. Technical surveillance was also activated to get their precise location,” said Kushwah.
“The Special Cell team intercepted Rajesh and his men at the farmhouse that was on the radar of the Special Cell sleuths.
The police team asked Rajesh and his men to surrender. Instead of following the orders, they opened indiscriminate fire at policemen, resulting in a befitting response from the police team”, said the DCP.
“Rajesh and his three gang members were killed in the retaliatory firing. They were identified as Vidroh, Umesh Don and Bhiku”, he said.
Police recovered 35 empty cartridges from the spot and five weapons, including two illegally procured semiautomatic Chinese-made Star pistols, from a Ford Endeavour car in which Rajesh and his accoplices were travelling.
Rajesh, who was on the list of the city’s top 10 wanted criminals, had managed to escape from the custody of the Haryana police in February this year. He had let loose a reign of terror in Haryana and its peripheral areas. Of late, he had become quite active in the national Capital, said a senior police officer.
“A list of such criminals has been prepared along with their accomplices. They all will be brought to justice and will have to face the consequences of their criminal activities that are detrimental to the peace in society, the official said.