Three shot at as kin try to avenge Congman's murder

NEW DELHI: A gang war erupted at Shahdara in northeast Delhi on Monday night. Kin of the slain Congress leader, Salim Pehalwan, allegedly fired at relatives of the main accused in the murder, criminal lawyer I R Khan. Khan had apparently grown jealous of Pehalwan's supremacy in the area and deputed members of Anwar gang to get rid of the leader. Three people have been injured in the firing ��� one of them is critical.
All the injured have been admitted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.Unconfirmed reports said there was firing in the area even on Tuesday. The injured have been identified as Hashim Khan, his cousin Intezar (22) ��� who had recently come over from Aligarh ��� and friend Mohammad Abid (23). Of the three, 32-year-old Hashim was said to be in a critical state. His elder brother, Ahmed Ali Khan, is a practising lawyer and the incident took place at Khan's office around 9 pm on Monday.
According to eyewitnesses, Hashim was sitting with his friends at his elder brother's office in Kardanpuri when four armed men came in two motorcycles and fired indiscriminately at them. The assailants then sped away.
Police sources said both Hashim and Ahmed were close associates of I R Khan, a prime supect in Pehelwan's murder. The victims' families have claimed that one of Pehelwan's brothers led Monday's attack. But according to police, the victims themselves have not identified any of the assailants so far.
According to them, the incident was a fallout of a long-drawn war between two rival factions in the area. The situation took a turn for the worse after the murder of Pehelwan, a Congress leader and property dealer, on April 30 this year. He was shot by six assailants near Yamuna Vihar in east Delhi.
Cops have since then arrested four of the accused and also established the role of the dreaded Anwar Thakur gang behind the killing. The latest arrests were made on June 21 when the special cell rounded up Tasleem (39) and Akram (29). Meanwhile, Pehelwan's followers have been carrying out revenge attacks. And the cycle of attacks and counter-attacks are far from over, said police sources. "We need to arrest all those associated with the murder of Salim Pehelwan soon. Otherwise, we will see more bloodshed," said a police officer.
The enmity between Anwar Thakur and Salim Pehelwan came out in the open when Pehelwan and his brother, Naim, allegedly plotted the murder of Anwar's close associate, Baddu. In retaliation, Anwar allegedly hatched the conspiracy ��� along with brother Raja Thakur and I R Khan ��� to get rid of Pehelwan. Khan was also apparently jealous of Pehelwan's growing influence in the area.