A drive-by shooting by an alleged gang against a member of another in broad daylight in Rajkot had the police department on high alert, leading to several teams being deployed to apprehend the four men involved in the incident that took place in Punitnagar area of the city Saturday.
Rajkot City Commissioner of Police (CP) Brajesh Kumar Jha visited the spot in person and gave instructions to the personnel to curb such criminal activities.
By the end of the day, three of the accused were detained while search continued for the fourth.
According to Zone-2 DCP Jagdish Bangarwa, who termed the case an “attempt to murder”, “Parikshit alias Paresh Balda was standing with his friends in a bylane around 5.30 pm. At that time, a white colour Hyundai Verna with four occupants drove by. One of the occupants of this vehicle fired a shot from a pistol, injuring Balda on his left leg.”
An FIR was filed at Rajkot Taluka police station under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 109(1) (attempt to murder), 3(5) (offence committed by several persons in furtherance of common goal), as well as under Arms Act sections 25(1-B)(a) and 27.
DCP Bangarwa said that three of the four accused had been identified as Sohail Bhana, Sameer aka Mrugo and his brother Nawaz, while the identity of the fourth is under investigation.
The police also recovered the spent cartridge of the bullet fired in the incident. The officials suspect that it was Sameer who had fired the weapon.
Story continues below this ad
Rajkot City Police deployed four teams, one each from the Rajkot Taluka police station D-staff, the Local Crime Branch (LCB) of Zone-2, the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB), and Special Operations Group (SOG) to identify and apprehend the other three accused involved in the shooting.
DCP Jagdish Bangarwa told The Indian Express, “On January 14, there had been a physical altercation between Balda and Bhana, at the house of two of the latter’s friends. Subsequently, one of them filed a complaint at Malviya Nagar police station against Balda for harassing her and assaulting Bhana. We have primarily learnt that this shooting incident was revenge for the same.”
Notably, both the complainant and the accused have criminal records.
Sameer, who is believed to have carried out the shooting in this case, had earlier been booked under liquor prohibition and anti-gambling laws. He had also been in jail under PASA (Prevention of Anti-Social Activities), said police officials.
Story continues below this ad
Meanwhile, Balda had earlier been booked in 10 cases including serious crimes like attempt to murder, liquor prohibition, assault and abduction.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd