New Delhi: After a brief exchange of gunfire, the Delhi Police's Special Cell caught a key member of the infamous Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu Gang, who was involved in dozens of cases, including murder, robbery, and assault, among others, an official said on Friday.
The gangster has been identified as Ravinder Ramdhari alias Kalu, a native of the the village Juddi located close to Rewari in Haryana, was injured during the exchange of gunfire and received a gunshot wound to his right foot.
The Nandu Gang members have allegedly been involved in extortion, land grabbing, and the collection of protection money in the border regions of west, southwest, and south Delhi for the past few months, according to information received by the police from reliable sources.
The authorities also discovered that the gang was quite active in these regions and was operating a well-oiled extortion business.
"On Thursday, specific input was received that Ravinder Ramdhari would come near Pandwala Mod in Chhawla area at around 10 p.m to meet his associate. Consequently, a raiding team was constituted and a trap was laid at and around Pandwala Mod," Special Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, H.G.S. Dhaliwal, said.
Around 10:05 p.m., Ramdhari was spotted by police while riding a black motorbike. He instantly accelerated towards Kanganheri Link road from Pandwala Road when the police told him to stop, but his bike skidded and he fell to the ground.
"Thereafter, he started running and also opened indiscriminate fire on the police team and continued to do so despite warnings. Thus, the police team also fired in self-defence, aiming at his legs and during the brief exchange of fire, Ramdhari sustained gunshot injury on his right foot and he was overpowered," said Dhaliwal.
During the encounter, a bullet fired by the accused struck Sub-Inspector Rishi Kumar Jha's bulletproof vest.
Ramdhari was found with a semi-automatic pistol that was loaded with two bullets in it.
"He was immediately rushed to the Indira Gandhi Hospital for treatment and a case under relevant sections of law was lodged at Special Cell police station," said Dhaliwal.
The official claimed that Ramdhari's involvement in crime began at a young age, when he took part in a gruesome daylight robbery that sent shockwaves through the city of Rewari.
"The dreaded acts of Ramdhari could be ascertained through a brutal murder in which he killed the victim with bricks and stones at village Bhagi in order to spread his terror. Further, he demanded a huge ransom from an affluent businessman of Dadri and threatened to kill him if the amount is not paid," said the official.
During his stay in Bhiwani Jail, he met Kapil Sangwan, who made him a member of his gang.
"Recently, gangster Sangwan gave him the responsibility of Delhi-NCR extortion racket and he was tasked to collect protection money and to teach lessons to those who do not pay the amount," the official added.—Inputs from Agencies