Shootout at Connaught Place: accused had come to settle a score with rival - The Hindu

Mohammad Rizwan alias Irfan - the 50-year-old man arrested for allegedly firing at two Delhi Police constables at Connaught Place on Saturday night - had come to settle scores with a Delhi-based rival, the police said on Sunday.

They, however, did not reveal the name of the rival or confirm whether the person was at Shankar Market, the site of the shootout, when the incident occurred.

Following a chase and exchange of five rounds of fire between the two sides, the police caught Rizwan but two of his accomplices managed to flee.

Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) S.B.S. Tyagi said Rizwan is a “bad character” of Moradabad and has previously been involved in 20 cases in Moradabad, Baghpat and Delhi.

Among the three cases registered against him in the Capital, one is of a murder in Jamia Nagar last year.

It was the Delhi Police Special Cell that arrested Rizwan back then.

“During his interrogation, he revealed that he was lodged in Tihar Jail but had to be shifted to Moradabad last month for a court appearance in connection with another case. He got bail but jumped it,” said Mr. Tyagi.

Among the many articles purportedly seized from Rizwan’s possession are five subscriber identification module (SIM) cards belonging to different States and telecom companies.

The police would also look into the call records of these numbers. A newspaper clip containing a report about another firing incident in Moradabad was also found in his possession.

According to the police, Rizwan did not cooperate with the interrogators initially.

He even disclosed his identity after a while.

The police, however, did not share the details of other suspects even though Rizwan is learnt to have revealed the same to them.

Describing the sequence of events, Mr. Tyagi said the police had received a tip-off about a bad character roaming near Shankar Market.

“Acting on the information, constables Pratik and Sandeep posted with Barakhambha Road police station went to the market and called the three suspects. However, the three started running in the opposite direction. The two constables chased Rizwan and his accomplice on their motorcycles,” said Mr. Tyagi.

The policemen then abandoned their motorcycle and resumed the chase on foot.

It was during the chase that Rizwan took out a 7.32 mm pistol and fired at the policemen who retaliated.

Four rounds were fired by Rizwan and his accomplices while the policemen fired one.

No one was injured in the shootout but a bullet pierced a van parked at the crime spot.

Rizwan was overpowered by Pratik and Sandeep with the help of locals.

The Special Cell too was alerted to probe a drug angle but nothing has come up in this context, said Mr. Tyagi.