Close associate of Neeraj Bawana gang arrested after shootout in Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) Delhi Police has arrested a key associate of Neeraj Bawana gang after a shootout in Pul Prahladpur area of southeast Delhi, an official said on Monday.
     The accused, identified as 24-year-old Shubham from Jangpura area, was caught with a pistol and a stolen motorcycle.
     "Acting on secret information, a team set up a vehicle checkpoint on MB road on March 16. Around 10:30 pm, Shubham was spotted riding a motorcycle from the Badarpur side. When signalled to stop, he attempted to flee but lost control and fell," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Southeast, Ravi Kumar Singh.
     The officer said that instead of surrendering, he fired two bullet rounds at the police, hitting constable Ashish, who was saved by his bulletproof jacket.
     In retaliation, the police fired two rounds, injuring Shubham in the leg. He was taken to the AIIMS for treatment, he added. A pistol with two live cartridges and a stolen motorcycle were recovered from him.
     During interrogation, Shubham revealed his ties with Shibbu and Neeraj Bawana gang, which has been involved in extortion, property disputes, gambling and drug rackets across south and southeast Delhi, police said.
     "Shubham was closely associated with Naveen Bhanja, a member of the Bawana gang. Shibbu joined the gang seven years ago to establish control over crime in the region, but internal conflicts led to a violent gang war with Rohit Jat, a former ally who split from the group in 2020," said the DCP.
     Shubham had been involved in multiple violent incidents, including a 2023 attempt to murder Rohit Jat. In 2024, Rohit's gang tried to kill Abhishek Katiya, a close aide of Shibbu, but he survived. In retaliation, Shubham and his associates ambushed Rohit and his ally Abhishek Piddi outside a court, he added.
     While several gang members were arrested, Shubham remained on the run, hiding in Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, police said, adding he was also associated with Shibbu gang earlier.
     "Shubham has a history of four criminal cases, including attempted murder and arms-related offenses. Further investigation into the matter is underway," said the DCP.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)