An avenger’s chase, from jail to hospital to highway

Friendship & breakup

Rajesh and Brijesh came together in 1997. Rajesh was running a garments shop in Hathras until his brother’s murder pitchforked him into crime. He was jailed for stabbing to death the man who had allegedly killed his brother over a property dispute.

In jail, Rajesh met and made friends with Brijesh, who was an facing trial in a case of murder and extortion. “The two build a huge support base inside the jail and orchestrated a series of robberies, kidnappings and murders from inside and outside,” a police officer said. “If one was inside jail, the other would be out on parole to look after the gang’s operations.” In 14 years, Rajesh Sharma had 31 cases including 10 of murder registered against him.

Police sources cite varying accounts by gangsters on why they broke up. Rajesh’s supporters reportedly say he had expressed a wish to quit crime and return to his business, but Brijesh would not let him. And Brijesh’s supporters reportedly say the question of leadership divided the two.

In September 2014, Rajesh and Brijesh met in Hathras, apparently for a real-estate deal. They argued and Rajesh allegedly whipped out a pistol, shot Brijesh dead and captured two of his associates, who the gang kept inside a room for two days before dumping them in a jungle near the highway. After Brijesh’s associates reported the matter to the kotwali two days later, a case of murder was registered and Rajesh was arrested with 15 others. Rajesh was in jail since then and until his death.

Misses…

The vengeful Gopal Yadav, police say, first sent gangsters Deepak Verma and Akshay Solanki into Mathura Jail. “Gopal paid Verma Rs 15 lakh to murder Rajesh. Verma committed a robbery and got himself arrested,” a police source said. Solanki, initially in Agra jail, was transferred to Mathura on January 13, in the same barrack as Verma.

Meanwhile, seven more of Gopal’s associates were arrested, apparently by design. Gopal allegedly roped in also a police constable, Kailash Gupta, since arrested. He allegedly helped the attackers take in cash and weapons.

On Saturday afternoon, Verma and Solanki reached barrack number 6 where Rajesh was lodged and opened fire. But Rajesh too had 15 men around him and a shootout broke out, leading to Solanki being shot dead. Rajesh sustained a bullet wound in the leg and was moved to a hospital in Mathura.

“When Gopal learnt that Rajesh was alive, he sent his men to gun him down at the hospital. The attempt again failed because Rajesh was kept under tight security,” said IG, Agra, S K Gupta. “But when Rajesh was referred to a hospital in Agra, the information immediately reached Gopal and he hatched a plan to eliminate him on the highway.”

… and hit

According to the police, the ambulance left for Agra at 11 pm and was being accompanied by two police cars with five officials in each, apart from a doctor, two hospital staffers and two constables. After it hit the highway, an i10, allegedly with Gopal, constable Gupta and three others inside, overtook and intercepted the ambulance. One of them then got down and held the driver of the ambulance at gunpoint. Gopal and an associate flung open the door and fired on Rajesh, then fled, police said.

IG Gupta said more arrests would follow, including “a man who was constantly giving Gopal updates”. Rajesh’s father Udayveer Sharma has asked for a CBI probe.