New Delhi: The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested a youth wanted for allegedly killing a man to assert his dominance in the area, an officer said on Saturday.
The accused was identified as 23-year-old Mohd. Shokat Ali a.k.a Dolly, alias Samar Ali, a resident of Indira Camp near Lodhi Colony.
According to police, Ali, along with his three associates named Jahangir, Vishal, and Deepak, formed a gang in Harijan Camp and engaged in extorting money from bootleggers, satta operators, and others.
On August 22, a call was received at the Lodhi Colony police station regarding a male body found near Third Avenue Road in the area.
The deceased was identified as a person with a criminal history named Shiva.
“After analysing the CCTV footage from the nearby area, it was discovered that four individuals had assaulted the now-deceased with punches and sticks. When the deceased collapse, the attackers fled the scene. Unfortunately, the victim succumbed to his injuries,” said the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Singh Yadav.
Later, the identities of the assailants were determined to be Jahangir, Vishal, Deepak, and Ali.
During the course of the investigation, three of the accused, Jahangir, Vishal, and Deepak, were arrested, while Ali had been on the run since the case was registered.
“The police received specific information that Ali was hiding in the Trilokpuri area of Delhi and could be apprehended there. His precise location was traced, and a raid was conducted, leading to his successful apprehension,” said Yadav.
When questioned, Ali revealed that in 2022, he came into contact with Jahangir, Vishal, and Deepak, who were known habitual criminals in the area.
“Shiva had a criminal record in the area and collected protection money from bootleggers, drug suppliers, and others involved in illegal activities. He started selling ganja in the area alongside his associates Jahangir, Vishal, and Deepak,” said the officer.
Shiva objected to the fact that these illegal activities could not be carried out without his consent. “This dispute led to a power struggle in the area between the two gangs. As a result, all four accused, acting with a shared intention, ruthlessly killed Shiva using punches and sticks,” said the officer.
Following the murder, Ali had changed his identity and moved around various locations in Delhi and the NCR.
— IANS