New Delhi: Delhi Police have arrested five alleged members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in connection with the fatal shooting of a 35-year-old businessman in outer north Delhi’s Bawana industrial area, officials said on Sunday.
According to police, the arrests followed specific intelligence inputs about the suspects’ movements. When officers intercepted some of the accused earlier in the day, they allegedly opened fire in an attempt to flee. Police returned fire, leading to a brief exchange. During the encounter, one suspect sustained a bullet injury to his leg and was apprehended on the spot. Three accused were arrested during the operation, while two others were detained later, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five. No police personnel suffered serious injuries, officials added.
The victim, Vaibhav Gandhi, who ran a plastic granules manufacturing business, was shot dead around 12:50 pm on February 9 near his factory in Sector 4 of the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIDC) industrial area in Bawana.
Investigators said four assailants were directly involved in the attack. The attackers allegedly tried to snatch the keys of Gandhi’s car and forcibly took his laptop bag when he resisted. He was then shot at close range. Police later recovered nearly ₹1 crore in cash from inside his vehicle.
A day after the incident, a social media post purportedly issued in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the murder. The message, allegedly shared from an account under the name “Randeep Malik Anil Pandit,” stated that the killing was carried out on behalf of multiple gangs and warned of consequences for those who interfere in their activities.
Police said the attackers had arrived on motorcycles and chased Gandhi for approximately 40 to 50 metres while firing several rounds. One bullet struck him in the chin, causing him to collapse. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Further investigation into the conspiracy and possible involvement of others is underway, police said.
