By IANS,
New Delhi : A dreaded criminal wanted in five cases of murder, three cases of attempt to murder and several extortion bids in Delhi and neighbouring areas was arrested Wednesday after a brief gunfight with police, an official said.
‘Contract killer’ Sandeep Chaitanya, who carried a reward of Rs.50,000 for his capture, was arrested by a team of 12 policemen, who surrounded a double-storeyed building in pocket 10 of Sector-25 Rohini around 9.30 a.m.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Northern Range) Karnal Singh said that upon seeing the policemen Chaitanya locked himself on the first floor of the house and fired two shots at the policemen from inside.
The ground floor of the building houses the real estate office of Jai Bhola Associates.
“Our team was fully prepared because of his past criminal record. Our men also fired some shots in the air. We broke open the door, but he locked himself in one of the two rooms on the floor. We broke open the doors again with iron cutters and found Chaitanya hiding in the washroom,” Singh said.
“A 9 mm sophisticated pistol and 37 cartridges of different make were recovered from him which suggest that he might be in possession of some other weapons as well. We are interrogating him now for all other details as well,” he added.
The officer said no policeman was injured in the entire operation, which lasted some 45 minutes.
Singh said apart from Chaitanya no other person was present in the house.
“He started his crime career in 2003 and has his own gang. We would launch searches to arrest them (gang members) also.”
Police said Chaitanya was wanted by both Haryana and Delhi Police for his involvement in the murder of Satyapal Singh in Vasant Vihar area, double murder in Delhi’s Aman Vihar in November last year and a double murder in Hisar June 25.
Police said he shot at a man after the victim failed to cough up extortion amount of Rs.500,000 in Murthal of Haryana July 28.
“Chaitanya is a dreaded killer for hire. He has no other profession. His immediate plan was to murder a businessman in Haryana’s Sonepat area. Chaitanya’s target has already been provided police security but he was still planning to carry out the killing by dressing himself in a woman’s attire and using a motorbike,” Singh said.
“Chaitanya was also planning to eliminate a woman in Sonepat area,” he added.
Police is now on the lookout for the real estate agent who provided shelter to Chaitanya in his house.
“We will interrogate him for he kept a dreaded criminal in his house. The real estate agent would also be booked under appropriate charges,” Singh said.