Delhi: Two shooters linked to Himanshu Bhau gang held; to kill bizman thwarted

New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Two alleged shooters of the Himanshu Bhau gang, including a juvenile, were apprehended before they could execute a targeted killing of a Delhi-based businessman, an official said on Monday. According to the police, the businessman, based in Rohini, had received extortion threats from the Himanshu Bhau gang in March this year, following which a case was registered at Aman Vihar police station and security was provided to him. Police said the arrests were made following an operation on the intervening night of July 6 and 7 near Nehru Vihar, after receiving inputs about the movement of gang members. Based on the intelligence, a trap was laid and the two suspects were intercepted before they could proceed towards their target, police said. "The accused were identified as Pradeep alias Kaali (26), a resident of Jind district in Haryana, and a 17-year-old juvenile from Fatehabad," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Niharika Bhatt said. Two semi-automatic pistols and six live cartridges were recovered from their possession. During interrogation, the juvenile allegedly disclosed that he had been contacted by fugitive gangster Himanshu Bhau on the mobile phone of one Monu, an associate who had allegedly fled the country after being involved in multiple murder cases. "The juvenile told the team that he was instructed to reach Jind, where he met Pradeep and stayed overnight. The following day, the duo was allegedly transported in a car by gang associates, who handed over a pistol to the juvenile," the officer said. She further said another firearm was allegedly provided to Pradeep near Lakhan Majra toll plaza after they switched vehicles during the journey. The accused claimed that after crossing Lakhan Majra, they were driven towards Delhi and dropped near Mukarba Chowk, from where they walked towards Nehru Vihar, where they were to meet other gang members. However, they were apprehended before any contact was established, police said. During questioning, both accused allegedly admitted they had come to Delhi on the directions of Himanshu Bhau to eliminate the businessman and that the weapons had been arranged by local handlers of the gang. Pradeep, a school dropout, had earlier worked as a bus conductor before taking up a job at a liquor shop in Jind, police said, adding that further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other members. PTI BM BM ARB ARB