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Delhi

‘Lawyers’ shoot gangster in court

In a daring case of shootout in Ghaziabad district court, four criminals dressed up as lawyers shot at a gangster of western Uttar Pradesh right at the door of the court, when he was coming out after making a personal appearance in a case of murder committed in 2006.

At least three by-standers also received bullet injuries and several received minor injuries due to stampede.

Immediately three of the criminals were overpowered by court visitors and jawans of Provincial Armed Constabulary [PAC] deployed at the main gate of the court, while his police escort remained just a mute spectator.

Though there is a heavy police and PAC deployment in the court compound, it hardly proved to be a deterrent for the criminals. Following the incident, advocates laid siege of the road demanding further strengthening of the court security.

The incident took place around 11.20 am in the corridor of the district court right outside the courtroom of Additional District Judge [ADJ]-13 where infamous gangster of Western Uttar Pradesh, Uddham Singh, 35, was appearing in a murder case.

The assailants, four in number and dressed as lawyers with gowns, opened fire at Singh with automatic and countrymade pistols. One of the bullets hit Singh in the head and he fell down. The criminals fired several rounds but not a single bullet was fired either by police or PAC.

According to eye witnesses the gangsters even fired at court visitors who dared to catch them which led to a stampede in the court but brave heart public chased them till the gate. The gate was immediately closed by two PAC constables deployed there and they took positions with their SLR rifles aiming right at the head of assailants.

The public chasing them overpowered two of them. Another criminal was also overpowered by the public with the help of PAC when he jumped from first floor on a car and tried to run away.

‘The police deployed in the court was without arms and it was only due to PAC and public they were caught,’ said Naresh Yadav, a lawyer in the court.

Singh was immediately rushed to district hospital from where he was refered to GTB Hospital in Delhi and finally at RML Hospital in New Delhi.

The three injured has been identified as Sachin Tewatia, Partha Pandit and Wasim, all are residents of Ghaziabad city and were in the court to appear for their cases. They have received bullets in their legs and lower part of body and are reportedly stable.

The arrested persons have been identified as Ram Bhul Balmiki of Vijay Nagar in Ghaziabad, Rishi Prakash Sharma of Yadav Nagar in Delhi, and Ranga Yadav of Kavi Nagar in Ghaziabad.

‘It’s a gangwar between Yogesh Bhadauda and Uddham Singh gang. One of the assailants is till at large and we are carrying out raids to nab him,’ said SS Yadav, SP City of Ghaziabad.

Singh is reportedly critical in RML Hospital. Uddham Singh had Rs 50,000 reward on his head and had recently surrendered before Ghaziabad police in a case of murder and was lodged in Dasna Jail of Ghaziabad.

Singh has over 37 cases registered against him, among which over a dozen are murder cases in different districts of Western Uttar Pradesh.


GHAZIABAD SHOCKER


  • Infamous gangster of Western Uttar Pradesh, Uddham Singh, 35, was appearing in a murder case, around 11.20 am
  • The four assailants, dressed as lawyers with gowns, opened fire at Singh with automatic and country-made pistols. One of the bullets hit Singh in the head
  • The criminals fired several rounds but not a single bullet was fired either by police or PAC
  • Thee gangsters even fired at court visitors, which led to a stampede in the court, but passersby chased them till the gate
  • The public chasing them overpowered two of them. Another criminal was also overpowered by the public with the help of PAC when he jumped from first floor on a car and tried to run away
  • Uddham Singh had Rs 50,000 reward on his head and had recently surrendered before Ghaziabad police in a case of murder, was lodged in Dasna Jail


GANG WAR BEHIND DARING SHOOTOUT


The shoot-out at the district court of Ghaziabad was the result of a gangwar between two notorious gangs of western Uttar Pradesh, which has been going on for the last over a decade. The target, gangster Uddham Singh, who received a bullet in his head and is reportedly critical, had publically murdered the keyman of the rival gang, Yogesh Bhadauda, around eight months ago. According to the sources, Singh had even insulted the body by dancing on it.

Since then, the members of Bhadauda gang were behind Singh’s life and had attacked him several times. Fearing for his life, Singh surrendered before Ghaziabad police, to reside peacefully in high security Dasna Jail, from where he was being brought for appearance in a murder case committed in 2006 in the court, when the incident took place. Singh has over 45 criminal cases pending against him in various districts of Western Uttar Pradesh, among which over a dozen are for murder.

The gang is active in entire Western UP but districts of Meerut-Muzaffarnagar-Baghpat-Ghaziabad are the most affected.

‘The shoot out was actually a planned revenge of Bhadauda gang to eliminate Singh,’ said S S Yadav, S P City of Ghaziabad. ‘We have also recovered three weapons - two revolvers, one of .32 calibre and another one of .38 calibre and a country-made double-barrel pistol of .315 calibre - along with a dozen live cartridges from them,’ added Yadav.

On Thursday, Singh was produced with regard to the murder case of a doctor, Mukesh Paliwal, of Modinagar in June 2006.

Paliwal was his doctor and used to treat his gang members but developed illicit relationship with Singh’s . Singh then murdered both him and his wife.

The security in Ghaziabad court has been a serious concern but this was the most daring incident in the last five years.

In 2011, Rajesh Talwar was attacked by a youth while he was going for hearing in a case. Similarily, Moninder Singh Pandher, the main accused in Nithari killings was attacked in 2007. In 2008, a witness, Satish Chauhan was murdered in the court compound, and in 2005, another witness was murdered.
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