Contract killer held from southeast Delhi’s Moolchand

A 33-year-old suspected contract killer, wanted in connection with the murder of a Samajwadi Party leader and carrying a reward of Rs 12,000, was arrested near southeast Delhi’s Moolchand flyover.

DCP (southeast) Romil Baaniya said the accused, identified as Mannan alias Khalifa, was arrested following a tip-off on the intervening night of November 26-27. “The accused was wanted in connection with the murder of Samajwadi Party leader and property dealer, Mohd Zaid Shakeel, in Lucknow last year. UP police had also offered a reward of Rs 12,000 for any information on his whereabouts,” the officer said.

On November 23, a shootout took place in Okhla Mandi during which a man, Mohd Zaki, was shot in the leg. During investigation, police found that Mannan was involved in the incident.

“In the early hours of Monday, police came to know that Mannan would be at Moolchand parantha wala. Around 1.45 am, a police picket was deployed at the service road near Moolchand Metro station, towards LSR College. Around 2 am, a man on a motorcycle approached the picket. The policemen asked the rider to stop but he tried to get past them. Eventually, he was overpowered and arrested.”