A 34-year-old man was shot at point blank range by two unidentified assailants in southeast Delhi’s Taimoor Nagar on Sunday, September 30. One of the two assailants is suspected to be one Hardeep, who is a history-sheeter, reported Times Of India. The family members of the deceased alleged that the killing took place because, Rupesh Kumar Basoya, the victim was actively working against the sale of drugs in the area.

The incident

The incident, which has been recorded by a CCTV camera, occurred around 8:30 pm on Sunday night when Rupesh Kumar Basoya was watching his 12-year-old son and his nephew play cricket on the street. The CCTV footage, which is being investigated by the police shows the two men, one of whom was wearing a white cap, waving their weapons in the air before stopping in front of Basoya and then shooting him at point-blank range. Basoya was pronounced dead at the hospital.

A police officer told Hindustan Times that the two armed men had appeared from a narrow street while hurling abusive languages at someone. Basoya had reportedly only asked the men to not use abusive language in front of the children. It was then that one of them shot at him in front of onlookers which included children. The investigation revealed that the two men had an argument with a local drug peddler over dues during which the latter was attacked with a knife. Reportedly, the men fired thrice in the air in front of the peddler’s house and fled from the location. They then crossed a narrow lane before emerging in front of Basoya’s lane where they shot him.

According to the daily, witnesses said that the killers then walked casually towards a parked Honda City. The victim’s son, Aditya ran behind them to note down the car’s license plate number which he later handed over to the police. The car was later found abandoned at Lajpat Nagar.

Police inaction

As Basoya collapsed on the ground, neighbours and his brother Umesh rushed to a nearby police post where a Police Control Room (PCR) van was parked. Reportedly, the policemen present inside the PCR van told them to dial 100 and drove away. The victim’s family have alleged that the PCR van was parked merely 50 meters from the crime scene and they did not even chase the killers.

Panic-stricken neighbours and his family members then dialled 100 after which another PCR van arrived. His brother Umesh told Hindustan Times, “How could the two policemen in the PCR van turn their back towards a dying man? Those cops should be suspended and strict action must be taken against them.” Police inaction in this case also sparked violent resident protests in the area where they pelted stones at the policemen. Reportedly, the protestors vandalised a police vehicle and also set ablaze a motorcycle which was parked nearby. Additional police forces also remain deployed in the area to maintain law and order situation. Several policemen who were trying to ease tensions also sustained injuries during the process.

On October 1, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) Chinmoy Biswal set up a vigilance enquiry to investigate the lapses by the local police leading to the murder. The next day, disciplinary actions were taken against five police personnel. Two police officers including the Station House Officer of New Friends Colony police station have been sent to district lines while beat officers, head constable Ajay, and constables Surender and Hari Chand have been suspended. A case of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered while a few suspects have already been detained for questioning, informed Biswal.

Police did not control the menace of drug peddling

Local residents have alleged that the area has become a hotbed to a host of illegal activities like theft, robbery and most notoriously, drug peddling. In fact, to throw light on the growing problem, Rupesh’s family members on October 1 placed his body on the road demanding police action against the accused as well as other drug lords operating in the area. Umesh, who is also the president of the Resident Welfare Association (RWA), reportedly, said that the association had in past given several complaints to the police, all of which remain unanswered.

The police were also informed that armed drug peddlers visited their neighbourhood, which made it unsafe. Umesh made continued efforts to bring Taimoor Nagar’s worsening condition to the attention of top officials who reportedly assured that actions will soon be taken. He said that shanties have come up in an empty plot which is behind their block and that drug addicts often roam around in the locality. He also alleged that the police and the drug peddlers are in cahoots. He said that his fight against the problem will continue. Fed up with police inaction, Umesh had again approached the police last week and it was then that a PCR van was placed, reported NDTV. It was also the same PCR van which refused to help his dying brother.  

The Logical Indian take

Rupesh and his brother Umesh’s complaints were ignored by the police. They repeatedly tried to bring the problem of drug peddling in their area to the fore, which went unnoticed. Rupesh’s killing also revealed the shocking apathy of the police in the national capital. The appropriate authorities should take a note of the area’s conditions and try to eliminate the growing problem to make it safer for the residents.

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