Najafgarh Triple Tragedy: Double Murder Witness Shot Dead in Suspected Gang War Retaliation, Delhi Police Intensify Probe

By Ronald Kapper
Published: July 6, 2025

New Delhi — In a disturbing escalation of gang violence in the capital, a key witness to a recent double homicide was gunned down in Najafgarh, raising fears of a broader gangland conflict engulfing parts of Delhi’s periphery. The Delhi Police are treating the latest killing as a targeted murder, suspected to be an attempt to silence witnesses in an ongoing gang war between rival criminal factions.

The victim, Sunil Chaudhary, 28, was the only civilian eyewitness to a double murder that occurred in April 2025 in the outer district. He was under informal police surveillance, but not in witness protection—something now being questioned by legal experts and civil society organizations.

Details of the Latest Murder

According to the Delhi Police, Chaudhary was attacked by two unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle on Saturday evening near Roshan Garden, Najafgarh. The attackers fired four bullets at close range before fleeing the scene. Chaudhary succumbed to his injuries while being transported to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital.

Senior officials from the Crime Branch confirmed that preliminary forensic analysis and CCTV footage suggest a premeditated hit, likely ordered by members of a local gang whose operations span Najafgarh, Dwarka, and parts of Bahadurgarh.

“It was not random. The shooters had precise information about his movements. This looks like a retaliation killing,” said a senior police official who spoke to The Hindu on condition of anonymity.

Gang War Backdrop: April Double Homicide

Chaudhary was a witness in a high-profile double murder that occurred on April 16, 2025, in Dhansa, where two men linked to the Tillu Tajpuria gang were shot dead allegedly by rivals from the Gogi gang.

While the police arrested five suspects in the April case, they had not yet filed a chargesheet. Chaudhary’s testimony was considered critical to securing convictions. His murder has now severely jeopardized the prosecution’s case, say legal analysts.

“This is a clear failure of the state to protect witnesses in sensitive cases,” noted senior advocate Meenakshi Lekhi, urging reforms in India’s witness protection system under the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018, approved by the Supreme Court of India.

Wider Gangland Dynamics in Delhi

The murder underscores the continuing grip of organized crime in Delhi's fringe areas. Since the killing of gangster Jitender Gogi in a courtroom shootout in 2021, turf wars among remnants of his gang and rival factions have intensified.

Areas like Najafgarh, Narela, and Dwarka Mor have seen frequent shootouts and extortion cases. Despite efforts by the Delhi Police Special Cell to dismantle gang operations, many gang leaders continue to operate from jail or through proxies, according to a 2024 report by India Today.

Public Outcry and Political Reaction

The brazen murder in broad daylight has triggered public anger and political reactions, especially as the incident comes just weeks after Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena assured that crime was under control in the capital.

Local residents have accused police of negligence, stating that Sunil Chaudhary had previously received threats, which were ignored.

“We had informed the police several times. Why wasn’t he under protection?” asked a relative during a candlelight vigil held Sunday night at the murder site.

AAP MLA Somnath Bharti blamed the central administration and Delhi Police, which reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs, for failing to curb gang influence.

“If a witness can be murdered like this, what message does it send? It’s a breakdown of basic law and order,” Bharti told NDTV.

Police Action and Investigation Status

The Delhi Police have formed two special teams to track down the killers. Investigators are using mobile tower dumps, CCTV analytics, and informant networks to identify the shooters.

Sources in the Delhi Crime Branch confirm they are probing whether this killing was sanctioned by a jailed gangster or coordinated from outside the country, as some rival factions have links in Dubai and Nepal.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Sanjay Arora has ordered a review of all ongoing gang-related cases and fast-tracking of pending POTA and MCOCA files against known offenders.

Witness Protection in Question

The murder has reignited the debate on the efficacy of India’s Witness Protection Scheme, which remains inconsistently implemented across states. Experts argue that without court-mandated protection orders, local police often fail to act in time.

A report by PRS Legislative Research notes that in 2023, only 12% of eligible witnesses in sensitive criminal cases in Delhi were actually placed under protection—leaving the rest vulnerable.

“The system is reactive, not preventive. Unless there’s real political will, witness killings will continue,” said former DGP Kiran Bedi.

Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for Authorities

The Najafgarh killing marks yet another dark chapter in Delhi's battle with organized crime. While Sunil Chaudhary’s death is tragic, it also exposes systemic lapses in law enforcement and judicial coordination.

Unless authorities move swiftly to ensure justice in this case, including punishing those behind the hit, it risks reinforcing a chilling message: that in Delhi’s gang wars, no one is safe—not even those helping the law.