A dramatic murderous bid was made on the life of Bharatiya Janata Party’s MlA from Shahdara Jitender Singh Shunty on Wednesday morning.
The assailant, wearing a helmet, reached Shunty’s residence in Jhilmil Colony seeking attestation of some documents. When the MlA came out to meet him, the man placed a gun on his temple. But Shunty put up a struggle and managed to wriggle out of the assailant’s grasp. The man then fired four shots at Shunty but missed. The assailant and an accomplice then managed to flee the spot in a getaway car that was parked near Shunty’s house.
Shunty’s son, who witnessed the incident, told the police that the intruder was trying to kidnap his father. Senior Delhi Police officers reached the spot after one of the MlA’s neighbours informed the police. The Crime Branch and Special Cell have also joined the probe.
Narrating the sequence of events, Shunty said that around 5:30 am someone repeatedly rang his doorbell and began banging on the door.
“I woke up and went to open the door. A man wearing a helmet was standing there. He gave me some papers and requested me to attest them. Since we run an NGO and people keep coming to us for help at odd hours, I did not suspect anything. As I turned and began walking towards my door he suddenly pounced on me and grabbed me by the collar. He dragged me for about 15 metres but I resisted. Then he took his revolver out and asked me to be quiet and accompany him. When I did not comply, he fired a round at me. “I tried to save myself but my automated door got locked. The assailant fired three more rounds which hit my door and other areas and I ducked to save myself.
“I ran and knocked on the other door of the house to wake up my two children and wife and began screaming. My elder son, Manish Pal Singh came out and tried to catch the assailant but he got away in a car parked in the next lane. Manish then called up the Station House Officer of Vivek Vihar Police Station, but it seems a resident of the area had already made a PCR call.”
Shunty’s personal security officers, given to him by Punjab Police, were sleeping when the attack occurred.
The incident has been captured by the CCTV cameras installed at the MlA’s residence and the footage has been handed over to the police. Four empty cartridges have been recovered from the spot.
Police also recovered the helmet which was thrown by the accused while running towards the car. An eyewitness claimed that the assailants escaped in a white Verna car with a Haryana number plate.
Police suspect that more than three men were involved in the incident as two had gone to Shunty’s residence and another was waiting in the car with the engine running.
“A case of attempt to murder and arms act has been registered at Vivek Vihar Police Station. Teams have been formed to crack the case,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Eastern Range) Sanjay Beniwal.
Police said they were checking the movements of certain suspects and were also investigating whether Shunty was involved in some dispute. It appears that the person who came to the MlA’s house wanted to intimidate him. The motive behind the attack is yet to be established. Meanwhile, police have beefed up patrolling in the area where the MlA lives and Delhi Police officials have been deployed for his security now.