Delhi shooting: gym trainer killed, gangster claims responsibility

A gym trainer was killed in a shooting in Delhi’s Aya Nagar area on Monday, with a gangster claiming responsibility online.

The victim, 28-year-old Vijay Kumar, was allegedly called outside before being shot near Hansa Chowk in Fatehpur Beri, with around 12 to 15 rounds fired.

A social media post attributed to gangster Himanshu Bhau, believed to be abroad, has claimed responsibility, and police are verifying its authenticity.

Police are also probing whether the shooting is connected to a long-running rivalry between families in the area.

The same gang was linked to the killing of a 55-year-old dairy businessman in the locality earlier this year, resulting in four arrests.

Local residents in the area have expressed concern over a pattern of gang-related violence linked to long-standing local rivalries in Aya Nagar and neighbouring localities.

Delhi Police have increased patrolling in the area following the incident, according to officials familiar with the investigation.

The use of social media to claim responsibility for targeted killings has become a recurring feature of gang-related violence investigated by Delhi Police in recent years.

Police have not yet made any arrests in connection with Monday’s shooting as the investigation continues.

Authorities said CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed to help identify and track the motorcycle-borne assailants.

Police said the assailants approached the gym on a motorcycle and allegedly called Vijay Kumar outside before opening fire near Hansa Chowk in the Fatehpur Beri area.

Investigators are verifying a social media post attributed to gangster Himanshu Bhau, who is believed to be based abroad, claiming responsibility for the killing.

Police are also examining whether the killing is connected to a long-running rivalry between families in the Aya Nagar area.

Earlier this year, police arrested four alleged members of the Himanshu Bhau gang in connection with the murder of a 55-year-old dairy businessman in the same area.

Delhi Police vehicle (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0