Notorious 'sharpshooter' arrested in southwest Delhi
New Delhi: A 27-year-old member of Kapil Sangwan gang who had jumped bail earlier this year was arrested by Special Cell, police here said on Sunday. Deepak Dhankar, an alleged sharpshooter of Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu gang, is an accused in a murder case and has been previously involved in six cases including attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, assault, robbery-cum-dacoity, extortion, and Arms Act, they said.
Dhankar was on interim bail in connection of murder of rival gang leader Manjeet Mahal's father.
He did not surrender after expiry of bail period in May 2021 and has been absconding since then, said a senior police officer.
A team led by Inspectors Shiv Kumar and Karamvir Singh supervised by ACP Attar Singh arrested Dhankar on December 3 from Kakrola Road here, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Jasmeet Singh. "The accused was signaled to stop the car, instead he whipped out his pistol and aimed towards the police team which rushed towards the car, overpowered the accused and disarmed him," he said.
When interrogated, Dhankar revealed he was planning to kill Manjeet Mahal whenever he was going to be produced in court with the help of his associates, the officer said.
He had also procured arms and ammunition for killing Mahal and his brother Sanjay, he said.
A semi-automatic pistol of .32 with five live cartridges was recovered from him at the spot, he added.
There is lot of bad blood between Sangwan and Mahal gangs for close to a decade and the fierce rivalry has led to killing of more than eight people in last six years, police said.
Sangwan, before being arrested, had avenged his brother-in-law's killing by Mahal gang, by shooting dead the father of a rival gang member in 2015 in Najafgarh area.
In the firing, the wife and mother of the gang member also were severely injured.
Later, Sangwan with his associates, gunned down father and brother of another associate of Manjeet Mahal, who was earlier arrested in a murder case of Sunil - Sangwan's brother-in-law, police said.
After the arrest of Sangwan, Dhankar along with a man named Krishan had taken command of the gang, they said. Both, with the help of their other associates, gunned down Mahal's father in Delhi's Mitraon village in 2017 at Sangwan's order, they added.