25-year-old arrested for killing auto driver

A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing an autorickshaw driver who was demanding Rs 25,000 as extortion money in south-east Delhi’s Sangam Vihar last week, police said on Wednesday.

Gyan Singh, who lived with his wife and three daughters at Sangam Vihar I-Block, was attacked by three motorcycle-borne assailants on November 9.

 “Manish claims Singh had beaten him and his associate Sunny a few days ago. Singh was also allegedly demanding Rs 25,000 as extortion from both the accused persons to work in the area of Sangam Vihar,” said Chhaya Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (south).

Manish and Sunny had refused to pay the money, and joined hands to take revenge from the victim. On November 9, both the accused along with an another associate left on Sunny’s motorcycle, duly equipped with a country-made pistol.

“When they found Singh sitting at a shop near his house around 9 pm, Sunny opened fire on him and then the three of them fled,” Sharma added.

Singh suffered three gunshot injuries and was rushed to Batra Hospital, but he succumbed to injuries during treatment. Locals told police that they knew two of the accused and identified them as Manish and Sunny.

Investigation revealed Manish was a bad character of Neb Sarai police station area.

“Efforts were made to locate him, but he was found absconding from his house since the day of incident,” Sharma said.

On Monday, a police team received information that Manish was seen at Mehrauli-Badarpur Road. The team finally arrested him at a bus stop near Hauz Khas.

Manish told police that he fled to Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district after the incident. “He returned to Delhi when he ran out of money and was nabbed,” Sharma added.