Gangster Rathi shot inside Gurugram home

Sanjay Yadav

Gurugram, November 16

Notorious gangster Ashok Rathi was gunned down by three armed men, believed to be his associates, inside his house at Alipur village in Sohna tehsil this morning. 

While the suspects fled the scene, the family took critically injured Rathi to a private hospital, where he succumbed to injuries around 3 pm.

Rathi’s brother accused a fellow villager, Lilu Dagar, who currently lives in Gurugram, of hiring the three suspects — Narender, alias Sonu; Rohit Dagar, alias Bobby, both of Alipur; and Salim of Hariyahera village — to eliminate the gangster.

Rathi, 42, whose criminal record dates back to 1999, was one of the oldest gangsters of Gurugram. He was in jail since 2014, serving life term for the murder of his wife’s kin. On July 6, he was released on bail from Faridabad’s Neemka jail.

Around 8 am, Rathi along with brother Nishu and friend Mahesh Kumar was having tea at his house when the three suspects arrived there. After a brief chat, they allegedly opened fire and fled.

“We weren’t aware that they were carrying weapons. After talking for about 10 minutes, they pulled out guns and opened fire. The attack was planned by Lilu Dagar, who had hired the shooters,” Mahesh said in his complaint. The family took Rathi to Park Hospital, from where he was shifted to Medanta, where he died around 3.10 pm. He suffered four bullet wounds in the chest, hand, ear and back, the police said.

An FIR has been registered against Lilu Dagar, Narender, Rohit Dagar and Salim at the Bhondsi police station.

A senior police officer said they were examining the CCTV footage of Rathi’s house. “Five special teams have been formed and raids are being conducted to nab the suspects,” said Satyender Dahiya, ACP, Sohna.

Got life for killiNg in-laws, bailed out

• Rathi, 42, was serving life term for killing his mother-in-law and brother-in-law. In 2016, he murdered his wife and confessed to the crime
• He was involved in 46 cases of murder, attempted murder, robbery, extortion. He was facing trial in eight cases, got acquitted in 28 and was convicted in four
• In 2014, he fled from UP Police’s custody, but was rearrested within 24 hours. On July 6, he was released on bail from Faridabad’s Neemka jail