In March 29 last year, a religious programme at Mundka’s Abhinandan Vatika banquet hall was interrupted by a hail of bullets.
The eight uninvited guests killed former Delhi MLA Bharat Singh, brother of dreaded gangster Kishan Pehalwan, before absconding.
Towards the end of 2015, retired Delhi Police head constable Hari Kishan was murdered and his wife Kamla and daughter-in-law Sharmila were injured in an attack to avenge the murder of a Jyoti Nandu gang member, killed just an hour earlier. The attackers allegedly included Hari Kishan’s son Nafe Singh alias Mantri.
The year also saw two inmates murdered inside a jail van, another one was shot inside a courtroom in Karkardooma court, counter killings in two Chhawla homes in a span of few hours in December and a history-sheeter being gunned down on a cold November night.
What is the common thread in these incidents? In each case, the victim or his family member was an active member of a criminal gang and was allegedly targeted by a rival group.
In the history of the Capital, killings and revenge killings of rival gang members is common. The year that went by, however, saw a sudden and alarming spurt in the frequency (see graphics). Even in the first month of 2016, the aforementioned Chhawla counter-killings added another bloody chapter when the father and brother of one of the gang members were shot dead at their residence.
Delhi Police officers avoid using the word “gang” but agree that the surge is alarming. They add that since most of the victims were from regions where gangs operate – South East, South West, Outer and Trans Yamuna Delhi – there is a rising trend of asserting dominance by elimination .
“A surge has indeed been witnessed in the number of such incidents where a member of one of these groups has been attacked or killed for exacting revenge or resuming the battle of supremacy. The factors we see behind this trend are the easy availability of weapons and improved communication technology,” says Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Taj Hasan.
But Delhi Police’s own figures of illicit weapon seizure (which reflects the supply trend) tell a different story. Compared to 868 country made firearms seized in 2014, the number fell sharply to 431.
Conventional wisdom would suggest that the developments of past years – the encounter killing of Outer Delhi gangster Neetu Dabodia in 2013, the arrest of his main rival Neeraj Bawana in 2015, his uncle Rambir Shokeen losing elections choking the financial help and political patronage the gangster received, arrests of East and South East Delhi ganglords –should have helped check gang activities.
That, however, hasn’t been the case with their illegal activities ranging — from extortion to property encroachment and large-scale betting activities — thriving. The sideshow of this unrestrained business, the new phase of violence they have unleashed on rivals, also remain equally unchecked.
In its attempt to find out the reason behind repeated incidents of intra-gang attacks and what the situation could escalate to, The Hindu spoke to several police officers from the areas where some of these gangs have influence and the two units that are trying to stamp out organised crime in the Capital.
In recent times, says a senior police officer, some new trends have come up in gang behaviour. “For instance, earlier an unwritten code was female family members and children would be spared but last year saw an incident where this was violated. Chances are when the backlash happens, the same might continue,” he warns.
An inspector adds that in the underbelly of the Capital, it is through killing a rival that a member of a gang proves his credentials — in other words he shows he is ready to take over the reins after the former leader is jailed or killed.
Easy availability of new recruits eager to join these gangs is another factor. “These gangsters wield considerable influence in the areas they operate and unemployed youths want to be like them. A new shooter in the ranks means an unidentifiable figure for the rival who can be caught off guard and bumped off with relative ease,” says the inspector.
He gives the example of Karkardooma court shooting to explain how in the past year gangs of different geographical regions are forging alliances to eliminate each other’s rivals.
In the incident, noted Trans Yamuna gangster Irfan alias Chhenu Pehalwan was critically injured by minors linked to gangs from Shakti Naidu’s gang from South East and the target remained unwary till the time they fished out their pistols.
Who’s to blame?
Almost every police officer The Hindu talked to blamed the Tihar Jail administration for allowing the gang members to use phones and other communication devices despite being incarcerated. “When instructions are issued, targets assigned by jailed criminals, who is going to stop them. Also the local police have the option to conduct trials through video conferencing but do not exercise the choice. That’s what gangsters want, in every court appearance they meet new potential recruits,” said another senior officer.
Some of the ire is also reserved for the judiciary for giving bail to gangsters easily. “Their primary offence may be of gambling in betting cases. But these people also work as musclemen and shooters for the syndicate members. The crime must be seen in the complete perspective. Not every time we can back allegations with evidence,” says a sub-inspector who has been an investigating officer in many cases.
Not ready to come on record for this, cops say that encounter killings between 2006-08 had proved to be a deterrent in gang activities in the years which followed till late 2012. In muted voices, some admit that intra-gang violence are only making their job easy.
Mumbai in the making?
But where is all this going? So far there has not been any case of anyone from the common public being harmed but it remains an undeniable possibility that the strengthening of the gangs may instill fear in the minds of those involved in property transaction or those targeted for extortion.
On the question of Delhi going the Mumbai way as the hub of organised gang activities, officers dismiss the possibility citing the scale and international dimension that the organised crime in the maximum city had during its peak.
