The Brazenness of Delhi Gangs — Shootout at Rohini Court Complex..

Photo by Gerson Martins on Unsplash

While the nation seems to be in disbelief about the brazenness of a shootout inside a court complex in the national capital.. it is actually quite a routine affair with the gangs of Delhi. Their actions seem more like movie scripts than real life events. Let me detail some of them down for you and the reason behind such audacity.

Sample Events…P.S. They are real.

September 24, 2021.. Rohini Court Complex, New Delhi — A high profile gangster is present in a court complex with policemen surrounding him for security reasons. They fail to notice 2 people dressed as lawyers who are sitting right next to them. One of those lawyers is speaking to someone on the phone. The moment he keeps his phone down, he signals to his partner and they both whip out pistols and shoot the high profile criminal from point blank range. Within moments, they themselves are gunned down by the cops escorting the gangster. Turns out that the high profile target was Jitender Gogi, who had been gunned down by hitmen from a rival gang. The rival gang’s leader, Sunil Mann, who was in a high security jail in Delhi was co-ordinating with the hitmen on the phone right till the last moment.

June 18, 2018.. Sant Nagar, New Delhi — 4 young men get done with their gym and are walking towards their bullet-proof SUV parked outside a heavily populated street. A car speeds up, stops right in front of them and men walk out with guns firing. Out of those 4 young men, 2 are in the car and they start driving to avoid gunfire..run over pedestrians, and finally come to a halt when they ram their vehicle into a stationary pole. In the CCTV camera, both of them are seen coming out bloodied and running for their lives in different directions. Out of the other 2 remaining, one is shot dead while being chased on the streets and the other one manages to escape. In total, 4 people dead including passerbys. Turns out it was the same Jitender Gogi who had attacked members of a rival gang in a brazen shootout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS308gB0gsk

May 19, 2019.. Dwarka, New Delhi — A jam packed street right below the metro line and shops teeming with people on both sides of the streets. A car driven by a young man is forcibly stopped by another car which comes right in front of him. Two men walk out of the car and start shooting at the man inside the car from point blank range. They are joined by another person who is following them on a bike behind. He parks his bike in the middle of the street, walks up with his helmet on and makes sure that the intended target is killed by pumping in more bullets. They soon realize that one amongst them has been shot by a cop behind. The try to pick him, realize it is not possible and leave him there. All this was done in the calmest manner possible while people on the streets watched in disbelief. Turns out this was a gangland shootout with members of one gang killing a rival.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o388ShAHwk

August 26, 2015.. Streets of New Delhi: A prison van carrying prisoners from two gangs is heading back from the courts to the prison complex. They are accompanied by security vehicles given the high profile prisoners they are carrying. A scuffle breaks out among the prisoners and two members of one gang are brutally beaten to death by members of the other gang. All this happens within 10 minutes and the cops watch all this from outside. As per rules, they cannot intervene or break the scuffle before additional forces arrive. It was way too late for the 2 who were killed.

Yes, these are all real stories and you can also watch their videos on YouTube. Infact, the above mentioned incidents are the tip of the iceberg and they do not include incidents where these criminals have escaped from police custody by various means. Jitender Gogi himself was once rescued by his gang members in an elaborate plan where they caught the escorting policemen off guard, threw chilli powder on their eyes and ran off with him.

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As a result, the first question that comes to mind is ‘How do they have this audacity’ and ‘Why would they bring so much media and public attention to themselves’?

Honestly, it is a very difficult question but the correct answer may lie in a combination of factors. A brief on them.

1. Easy to track opponents in jail and courts: Well, it turns out that killing the higher ranked ones is easier in courts than outside. While it is easy to track, locate, follow and bump off lower level operatives, it is not that easy as you move up the ladder. You are more protected and more hidden. The tables turn when you are in police custody. Now you are more exposed and rivals know more about your movements. They can easily find out your court dates, can track and trace how cops move criminals to and fro courts and eventually be better prepared to target you. They also sometimes get each other in jails, but different gangs are kept in different barracks where they don’t even get to see each other. Hence targeting them at courts/jail vans becomes the only viable option.
2. Recruitment Tool: These acts boost their image in the minds of disenchanted youth in their villages and helps them attract the right kind of talent to join them. The more brazen the act, the more the feeling of bravado and more the pull for young youth wanting to get out of their humdrum and poverty filled lives.
3. Instill fear in the minds of targets: Such acts of brazenness boost their gangster image and enhance fear in the minds of people they target for extortion, one of their most preferred activities.
4. Prevailing societal attitude: These criminals usually belong to a certain set of villages on the outskirts of Delhi where the fruits of globalization seemed to have missed them. All they see is the glittering life of the rich in the capital and they therefore seek out the same via nefarious means. Additionally, these people either belong to or are associated with the neighbouring villages of Haryana, where society in itself is based on ego, pride and that intent to protect their honour. Hence, the vicious cycle of bloodshed and vendetta and the increasing brazenness. It is also a case of changing and more volatile times and behavioural patterns among people.

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