Delhi Police arrests gangster wanted for killing man in Haryana illegal firearm recovered

New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) The Special Cell of the Delhi Police has arrested a gangster carrying a reward of Rs 20,000 and wanted in a murder case in Haryana, an official said on Sunday.
    The accused, Rakesh Kadian alias Pampu (39) was arrested from the Rohini area. A resident of Panipat in Haryana, was apprehended while he was attempting to revive his gang's operations in the national capital, he said.
    Police said Pampu was wanted in connection with the murder of Deepak alias Bhanja at Veer Dhaba in Murthal, Sonepat, in February this year.
    "The Haryana Police had declared a reward of Rs 20,000 for information leading to his arrest," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Amit Kaushik said.
    Rakesh was intercepted on Saturday based on a tip-off while he was allegedly carrying illegal firearms. One semi-automatic pistol along with four live cartridges and a car were recovered from his possession.
    The officer further said that Pampu has a long and violent criminal history, with more than 16 cases against him, including murder, attempt to murder, extortion, assault and arms-related offences registered across Delhi and Haryana.
    "He turned to crime in 2010 after witnessing the murder of his uncle by a man named Sharwan in his village. In retaliation, he and his associates attempted to kill Sharwan, but he survived," the DCP said.
    In 2014, after his brother-in-law Vinod was killed by Deepak alias Bhanja and his associates, Rakesh started targeting Deepak and his supporters. He was allegedly involved in multiple attacks and killings targeting Deepak's sympathisers over the years.
    "In 2017, Pampu himself survived an assassination attempt at Panipat court, sustaining four bullet injuries," the DCP added.
    He continued with his gang activities and tried to re-establish his presence in Delhi in 2023, but was arrested by the Special Cell. He was released on parole in 2024.
    "In February 2025, Rakesh avenged his brother-in-law's death by allegedly killing Deepak. Since then, he had been on the run," he added.
    Police said efforts are on to gather further details about his gang members and other criminal involvements. The accused has been booked in several cases including those registered at police stations in Panipat, Sonepat, Rohtak and Delhi.
    Further investigation is underway, police said.

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