Civil defence staffer killed over gang rivalry: Cops

Sharing details of the recent murder, police sources said the victim, Shashi Kadyan, lived in Bawana’s Katewara village with his family. He was friends with one Abhishek Sheku, who is associated with gangster Ashok Pradhan, said the source. “Jathedi and his gang members, including one Priyavrat, suspected that Kadyan was giving information on their activity to Abhishek. To send a message to the rival gang, they killed Kadyan. The victim, who worked as a driver for the civil defence unit, was returning home when he was kidnapped and dumped near Abhishek’s house in Katewara. The accused threatened other villagers before pumping over 20 bullets into Kadyan,” said the source.

Last month, the counter-intelligence team of the Special Cell had arrested three members of Vishnoi’s gang in connection with the murder of a 35-year-old Youth Congress leader in Punjab’s Faridkot. “After the arrests of all major criminals in Delhi over the last one year, criminals and gangsters from neighbouring Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan have been trying to make inroads into the capital, trying to occupy the vacuum that has been created,” DCP Manishi Chandra had said.

“Vishnoi has been trying to make inroads into Delhi for the last few months. While he remains behind bars, his close associate, Jathedi, is working to expand the syndicate’s footprints in Delhi. Jathedi and one Kala Rana, suspected to be hiding in a Southeast Asian country, are running the contract killing business on his behalf,” DCP Chandra said.

Police said 13 cases, including several murder cases, have been registered against Jathedi and his associates in Delhi. “In the last one year, he has threatened several jewellers by firing outside their offices or homes for protection money… Five members have been already arrested,” an officer said.