Dressed as lawyers, 3 open fire in Ghaziabad court

Shooting an outcome of gang rivalry, Yogesh Badauria disguised himself with a fake beard, moustache and wore a cap.

Five persons were injured after three men opened fire at an under-trial inside the Ghaziabad court complex on Thursday morning.

Police said the shooting was an outcome of gang rivalry between Udham Singh's group and the Badauria gang. Both gangs are based in Meerut.

Singh, who was to appear in court in connection with a 2006 murder case, was the target, police said. He was shot in the cheek and is admitted to GTB Hospital. His condition was said to be stable.

Among the injured were three men who were in court for a hearing in separate cases. They have been identified as Ranga Yadav, Rishipal Sharma and Rambhul Singh.

The PAC personnel fired in retaliation, and one of the attackers, Sachin Tewatia (21), was shot in the waist, police said. Following this, Tewatia and another attacker Parth Pandit (23) surrendered. Yogesh Badauria, the mind behind the attack, fled after he jumped from the first floor of the complex and on to the roof of a car, police said.

According to police, Singh, who has been in police custody for the past 11 months, had killed the leader of Badauria gang, Pramod Badauria, in 2006. This deepened the existing tension between the two gangs.

"The rivalry began 18 years ago. It escalated when Udham Singh had killed Pramod Badauria in 2006. In 2008, Singh also killed the deputy general manager of Bajaj Sugar Mills, Siddharth Upadhyaya, after a conflict over a contract. Singh believed that Upadhyaya would give the contract to the Badauria gang," a senior police officer said.

Police said Yogesh picked up Tewatia and Pandit around 6.30 am.

"They were dressed in lawyers' uniform — white shirt and black suit — which they bought from Meerut. Worried that Singh might recognise him, Yogesh disguised himself with a fake beard and moustache. He also put on a pair of spectacles and a cap. They reached the court in Yogesh's white Santro and parked it outside the main gate. They waited till Singh exited the courtroom and fired at him in the corridor on the first floor," Superintendent of Police (City) S S Yadav said.

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