Suspect in Fatal Delhi Cab Shooting Caught After Gun Battle, India

New Delhi: Almost a week after the fatal shooting of a cab driver near Red Fort, Delhi Police nabbed the main suspect in the case, Firoz, on Sunday. The arrest followed a brief exchange of fire that left the accused wounded. Firoz is alleged to have shot the cab driver and wounded another boy on April 15 while attempting to commit a robbery. Police added that Firoz is a notorious criminal, with involvement in 10 criminal cases in Delhi, including three murder cases and multiple armed robberies. Manoj Meena, DCP (North), said police received a tip-off on the whereabouts of Firoz on Saturday night. A trap was laid in the Wazirabad area. The accused was intercepted and asked to surrender. In response, he pulled out a firearm and opened fire at the police team, leading to a face-off, said the senior police officer. The DCP added that the police team fired back. The accused sustained injuries to his left leg and was rushed to a hospital. A case was registered against the accused under relevant sections for attempt to murder and the Arms Act, among others, police said. On April 15, around midnight, cab driver Mohammad Saqib (36), a resident of Zakir Nagar, was admitted to a hospital with gunshot wounds, along with a beggar, Luv Khush (15),a resident of Palwal. Saqib later succumbed to his injuries. During investigation, police found that the accused group was in the area to pickpocket when the victim’s taxi collided with an e-rickshaw at the Chatta Rail traffic light. The e-rickshaw overturned, leading to an altercation between the victim and the rickshaw driver. This led to a confrontation, and the three accused men assaulted Saqib. In the melee, his mobile phone was stolen and his pocket was picked. Saqib caught Firoz in an attempt to recover his belongings, but he was shot. The accused then fled the scene. Police arrested three people on Wednesday — Sajid (19), Salman (24), and Ruksar (24), a woman. Police added that Firoz was involved in the robbery and murder of a police constable in Jafrabad in 2014, and the murder of a woman during a snatching attempt from a rickshaw. He was also a habitual criminal in Uttar Pradesh, being involved in over 10 cases there too.