Sharpshooter of Rohit Godara–Virendra Charan gang arrested after encounter

Following a brief exchange of fire, the Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested a sharpshooter of the notorious Rohit Godara–Virendra Charan gang near Azadpur Mandi on Thursday night, officials said on Friday.

The police said the accused has been identified as Ankit (23) from Haryana’s Tosham, who was working on the directions of gang leaders to target a commercial establishment as part of their ongoing extortion racket, police said. He was overpowered in a retaliatory firing from the police, during which he sustained a bullet injury in his left leg.

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“The team has recovered a sophisticated pistol, three live cartridges, a mobile phone, and the motorcycle used in the crime from Ankit’s possession. Two handwritten slips bearing the names of ‘Rohit Godara’ and ‘Virendra Charan’ were also recovered,” said Krishan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Northern Range, Special Cell.

According to Officer Kumar, Ankit had been instructed to throw these at the target site after the shootout to instill fear and establish gang dominance. “The operation was carried out by a team of the Northern Range, Special Cell, and acting on specific intelligence about a planned shooting, a trap was laid near Azadpur Sabzi Mandi in the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday,” he added.

“When intercepted, the accused opened fire at the police officer, discharging three rounds; however, one bullet struck an officer, who was saved by his bulletproof jacket. Retaliating to the unprovoked attack, the team also fired back at him and overpowered the accused,” the officer said.

In the ensuing exchange, one officer sustained a head injury while overpowering the suspect. Both the injured cop and the accused were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Adding to his statement, the officer said Ankit, who is a Class 9 dropout, has a history of crime with past involvement in the 2022 case at Bhiwani. His earlier involvements include two FIRs related to violence, unlawful assembly, and the Arms Act.

“This arrest has thwarted a significant extortion attempt in the capital, and further investigations are underway to trace the larger network of the gang,” the officer stated.