Three gangsters, including two suspected shooters involved in a recent murder at West Delhi Burger King, were killed on Friday in a combined operation by Haryana Police and the Delhi Crime Branch in Sonipat. The gangsters who were fatally shot were identified as Ashish alias Lalu, Sunny Kharar, and Vicky Ridhana, all known to be members of the notorious Himanshu Bhau gang. The shootout was carried following their alleged involvement in several high-profile crimes, including the murder of 26-year-old Aman Joon at a Rajouri Garden Burger King outlet on June 18. Joon, originally from Haryana, was targeted while dining with a woman, who reportedly orchestrated the ambush and remains to be found.
Bijender, an associate of the assailants, was apprehended by the Delhi Police Special Cell in Rohini on June 28. He had facilitated Ashish and Ridhana’s access to the crime scene on his motorcycle during the fatal incident. Moreover, Kharar, along with Ashish and Ridhana, was implicated in another shooting incident near a vehicle showroom in Hisar shortly after Joon’s tragic murder.
The encounter unfolded in Kharkhoda village following intelligence shared between the Delhi Police Crime Branch and the Haryana Police STF. Upon arrival, law enforcement was met with gunfire from the gangsters, resulting in injuries to a Sub-Inspector. In response, the police retaliated, culminating in a fatal exchange where all three gangsters sustained critical injuries and succumbed later in hospital.
Authorities disclosed that the Himanshu Bhau gang had been extorting substantial sums from businessmen across Haryana and Delhi. The joint operation successfully recovered five pistols from the encounter site, underscoring the severity of the gang’s criminal activities.
Gang War and Criminal Dynamics
The killing at the Rajouri Garden Burger King was perceived as a continuation of the ongoing feud between incarcerated gang leaders Neeraj Bawana and Ashok Pradhan. Allegedly orchestrated by fugitive gangster Himanshu Bhau, the attack was claimed as retribution for the earlier murder of Bawana’s cousin, Shakti Singh, in October 2020. Joon had reportedly divulged crucial information regarding Singh’s whereabouts to Pradhan, prompting the fatal reprisal.
The incident underscores the complex intergang rivalries and criminal dynamics prevalent in the region, posing ongoing challenges for law enforcement agencies tasked with curbing organized crime and ensuring public safety.