Three criminals were killed, and several others were injured in a shooting inside a courtroom in Delhi, India, on Friday, raising major concerns about security in a tightly guarded area of the national capital.
Gunshots were heard inside the court in videos that went viral, and police officials and attorneys were seen scrambling in the building in Rohini, northern Delhi.
While the court session was in progress, the gunmen entered as lawyers and shot gangster Jitender Gogi three times. The special forces in control of Gogi replied by murdering both of the attackers.
Gogi was a prominent mobster involved in several criminal cases and had been imprisoned at Tihar Jail in Delhi since last year. When he was brought to court on Friday, a rival gang planned to kill him, according to Indian news station NDTV, which cited the police. The two gangs have allegedly been at odds for years, with many people dying in the process.
"Inside the court, two members of a rival gang opened fire on Jitender Gogi. According to Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana, that's when the cops retaliated and killed the two assailants.
"The cops acted quickly and killed both of the attackers. He said three people died in total, including Gogi.
Those who witnessed the entire incident were concerned about security. "The judge was in court, lawyers were present, and Jitender Gogi was present," Lalit Kumar, a lawyer, told NDTV. These two lawyers (who turned out to be gunmen disguised as lawyers) entered the room and began shooting. "An interception was also fired." The effectiveness of metal detectors at the court was also questioned, given that the armed men were able to barge into the courtroom with no resistance.
"The question of whether the metal detectors in the courtroom were not working is under investigation, and I am unable to comment at this time. We are already probing the crime, and no one engaged in the gunfight would be spared," Asthana said.
Gogi, whose real name is Jitender Mann, was apprehended in March 2020, and the Delhi Police deemed it a breakthrough.
