Gunmen dressed as advocates shoot dead gangster in Delhi court, are killed

Jailed gangster Jitendra Gogi was shot dead on Friday inside a packed Rohini courtroom in New Delhi by two assailants dressed as lawyers who were also killed in a police counter-fire, officials said.

In video footage of the shootout involving the two attackers, who were from the rival gang, gunshots could be heard and policemen and lawyers seen in a scramble.

Witnesses said a woman lawyer has also received a bullet injury in her leg.

The police said the incident happened around 1.15 pm when Gogi was brought to the courtroom number 207 for a hearing, and the two gangsters posing as lawyers opened fire at him.

Advocate Sunil Tomar, who was present in the courtroom for his client's bail matters, said there were 15-17 people in the court of judge Gagandeep Singh when the incident happened.

"As Gogi entered the courtroom, two persons, who were dressed as lawyers, whipped out their pistols and suddenly opened fire upon him. After hearing gunshots, people started running to save their lives inside the courtroom and the judge also went back to his office just behind the courtroom," Tomar told PTI.

He claimed the assailants pumped around 10 bullets into Gogi. "For the first 15 minutes, I could not figure out what was happening there."

Advocate Manoj Kumar Nigam, who was also there, said a woman lawyer also received a bullet injury on her leg.

A senior police officer said that Gogi was also accompanied by members of the counterintelligence unit of the Delhi Police's Special Cell.

"When Gogi entered the courtroom, the two assailants in lawyers' uniform took out their pistols and opened fire on Gogi. Immediately, the personnel from the counterintelligence team which was accompanying Gogi retaliated and the two assailants died on the spot," he said.

Joint commissioner of police (northern range) has been asked to enquire into the incident and submit a report.

Some lawyers claimed this is not the first such shootout incident at the Rohini court.

"I was stepping out of the court when the incident happened. I heard firing and later more rounds were fired...this (incident of firing) has happened for the fourth or fifth time at Rohini. So, the situation has not improved so far," said advocate Rajiv Agnihotri.

Jitender Maan alias Gogi, who carried a reward of Rs 6.5 lakh on his head, was arrested along with his three accomplices from Gurgaon by a team of special cell in March last year, according to police.

He was arrested along with Kuldeep Naan alias Fajja, Kapil alias Gaurav and Rohit alias Koi.

The special cell was on the lookout for Gogi, Fajja and Gaurav for a long time before tracing them to their hideout in Gurgaon.

A few months ago, Fajja had managed to escape from the police custody when he was being produced in the Karkardooma court, another senior police official said.

Since that incident, the counterintelligence team of the Special Cell used to accompany Gogi and his associates to court for hearings, he said.