In the bustling hub of New Delhi, precisely seven days following the tragic demise of a taxi driver in the vicinity of the historic Red Fort, the Delhi Police made a decisive breakthrough on Sunday by apprehending the primary suspect in the murder case after a brief exchange of gunfire, as confirmed by officials.

The individual in question, known as Firoz, had a history intertwined with several incidents of violent crime and robbery, authorities revealed. “On the day of rest, a tip-off pinpointing Firoz’s whereabouts reached the authorities. When the suspect was urged to surrender by a police unit, he responded with gunfire,” recounted Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) M K Meena.

“In the ensuing exchange of fire initiated by the police team, the suspect sustained injuries to his left leg. Subsequently, he was swiftly transported to Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital for medical attention,” stated the DCP. On April 15, Mohammad Sakib, a 36-year-old taxi driver and resident of Zakir Nagar, was admitted to the hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds, alongside a young beggar named Luv Kush (15), hailing from Palwal. Tragically, Sakib later succumbed to the severe bullet injuries.

During the investigation, it came to light that around midnight, Sakib’s Maruti WagonR collided with an e-rickshaw at the Chatta railway crossing. The collision caused the e-rickshaw to overturn, igniting a heated dispute between the taxi driver and the e-rickshaw driver. According to the police account, three individuals assaulted the cab driver and made off with his mobile phone. In a valiant attempt to apprehend them, Sakib managed to grab hold of one, only to be shot by the perpetrator who then fled the scene.

On April 17, law enforcement detained three individuals, including a woman identified as Ruksar (28), Sajid (19), and Salman (24). The DCP elaborated that the accused, Firoz, had been previously apprehended in connection to 10 criminal cases, including three of murder.

As per police records, Firoz and his associate Firoz alias Fauzi were implicated in the robbery and murder of Delhi Police constable Shivraj Tomar, who was stationed at the Jafrabad police station in 2014.

“The accused is a habitual offender who resorted to gunfire without hesitation in an attempt to evade capture. His associate, Fauzi, met his demise in an encounter with the Special Cell of the Delhi police,” stated the DCP.