Red Fort road rage: Gang of thieves on prowl target cabbie, kill him when he resists

An officer said the four had planned to carry out pickpocketing at a traffic signal, on the intersection between SP Marg and Netaji Subhash Marg, near Red Fort. Anita got her baby along to use as a distraction while the men carried out the crimes.

Police said CCTV footage showed the four at the spot — one of them on a scooter along with a woman and a child while the other two were on foot — when an accident took place between a cab and an e-rickshaw and the two drivers got into an altercation. As a crowd gathered around, the thieves sensed an opportunity to make a quick buck.

While the woman stood at a distance, the men nicked some money from the battery vehicle driver’s pocket on the pretext of helping him, and then stole Shakib’s phone and wallet as he inspected the damage to his vehicle.

The latter, however, caught on to them and a scuffle broke out. Over the next 20 minutes, the situation escalated as the men assaulted and stabbed the 36-year-old. “Amidst the commotion, the scooter rider shot at Shakib and fired at the public, injuring a 15-year-old homeless boy,” said DCP (North) Manoj Kumar Meena.

Shakib succumbed from stab injuries on the right side of his abdomen and gunshot wounds on the left side.

The DCP said the assailants then fled — two men and the woman drove off on the scooter towards the Old Delhi Railway Station, while the fourth escaped in the crowd.

Tracing the assailants

A case of murder was lodged and a team was constituted under ACP (Kotwali) Shankar Banerjee and SHO (Kotwali) Jatan Singh. They analysed CCTV footage around the spot and looked into criminal records of possible suspects.

On further investigation, footage showed the accused taking an auto-rickshaw — after possibly abandoning the scooter — and auto drivers around the spot were questioned for leads. Video footage also threw up details of the scooter’s numberplate; when checked, it turned out to be fake.

Eventually, it was a tip-off about the woman seen in the incident footage that provided a breakthrough. Police said they found that one Sunita, the woman’s sister, lived in Yamuna Bazaar and was previously arrested in an attempt to murder case. “… A thorough check was conducted for all persons named Sunita in Yamuna Bazaar but she had relocated to Ansar Vihar in Loni with her family,” said an officer.

Following raids, police found that Sunita died six months ago and her sister, Anita, and mother lived in Bawana. Based on information provided by the mother, police arrested Anita from Khajuri Khas. Officers said through her, Sajid was also arrested from the same area. During questioning, they revealed that Salman and another man were also involved.

“The four used to frequent the Red Fort area and those nearby to carry out petty crimes but they have not been arrested in any case in Delhi so far,” said another officer.

Police have booked Anita for harbouring the accused persons while the others have been booked for murder.

Police said Anita has sheltered several persons involved in criminal offences. Salman, a Sangam Vihar resident, was previously involved in two offences, including an Arms Act case, registered in Loni.