Raju Theth death: One gangster identified as Raju Theth was on Saturday (December 3) shot dead by unidentified assailants in Udyog Nagar in Rajasthan's Sikar district, police said. Sikar Superintendent of Police (SP) Kunwar Rastradeep told reporters that "There has been an incident of firing. Raju Theth, who has been involved in crime for a long time sustained bullet injuries. As per the latest information available to me, he died."
Theth, according to the police official had several criminal cases against him and was out on bail. Heavy police force has been deployed in Sikar and surrounding areas and police said they have installed barricades and were checking vehicles. Following the shootout, a Facebook post of an user by the name of Rohit Godara claimed responsibility for Theth's killing.
Taking to Facebook, Godara claimed he is a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the killing was done in revenge on behalf of attack on gangsters Anandpal Singh and Balbir Banuda. The user also mentioned the names of gangsters Ankit Bhadoo and Monu Bana in his post. Gangster Anandpal was killed in a police encounter and since then members of the Anandpal gang are said to have joined the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, and both gangs were involved in the incident in Sikar today.
Rajasthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told media that a thorough probe will be done and all the culprits will be brought to justice. "Two or three similar incidents took place in Jaipur recently and all the criminals involved were arrested," he said."I appeal to people not to indulge in any criminal activities. There has been a sharp spike in the gang wars, the Rajasthan government will take all possible steps and put these gangsters behind the bars," Khachariyawas said.
Taking to Twitter, the Deputy leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan state Assembly, Rajendra Rathore wrote, "The murder of notorious gangster Raju Thet is a question mark on the law and order situation in the state. When the police do not crack down on the criminals, then the criminals will fearlessly carry out the incident of gang war against each other, due to which the state will become more insecure".
Slamming the state government over the law and order situation in the state, Rathore further said, "Today Shekhawati area has become a refuge for criminals where gangsters are openly challenging the police system by committing murders openly and confessing it on social media. The confession of the police has bowed down before the criminals and the police administration seems helpless".
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Rathore, coming down heavily on the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot stated, "On the one hand there are open firing, murders, gang wars, extortions are being demanded from the traders, the common people are forced to live under the shadow of terror, on the other hand, the government has left the security of the people to the hands of the criminals"."He is engaged in the service of Gandhi and India Jodo Yatra", said Rathore further.
State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra condemned the incident and hoped that the police would restore the confidence of the common people by arresting the accused. The BJP targeted the government over the incident.
"The review of law and order by the chief minister, who is also the home minister, is only limited to clicking photographs. He does not have any concrete action plan to strengthen law and order nor is he concerned about the safety of the people of the state,” BJP state president Satish Poonia tweeted. He said the chief minister should resign on moral grounds.
Heavy police force has been deployed in Sikar and surrounding areas and Police said they have installed barricades and were checking vehicles. Meanwhile, following the shootout, supporters of Thet and an organisation, Veer Taj Sena, announced a shutdown in Sikar. They refused to accept the body or allow a postmortem until the accused are arrested.
According to purported CCTV footage from the shoot out site this morning, Theth was shot at near the gate of the hostel of a coaching institute under Udyog Nagar Police station area. As per the latest updates, one person identified as Tarachand Jaat, a resident of Chhoti Khatu of Nagaur who sustained injuries in the shootout also succumbed to his injuries, police sources said Reportedly, Tarachand Jaat had came to meet his daughter living in the hostel and got caught in the firing.
"Four people were involved in the firing. The people responsible for the incident will be nabbed soon. We are investigating the validity of the social media user's post and verifying it," Sikar Superintendent of Police Kunwar Rastradeep said.
The SP said that based on the CCTV footage from the incident site police have launched a search for the accused. Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra told media, "Police have identified some accused. Our teams are after them. The accused are suspected to be headed towards the Haryana border. More will be revealed once they are nabbed. This is basically the result of gangwar."
Meanwhile, a Delhi court today extended by four days the National Investigation Agency (NIA) remand of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in connection with the murder case of Punjabi singer-politician Sidhu Moosewala. Bishnoi was produced before the court through video conference at the end of his 10-day remand. NIA while seeking the remand of Bishnoi stated the gangster's involvement is also suspected in today's encounter in Rajasthan.
(With agencies inputs)
